


Resident Evil: Field of Blood - Fireheart Fury Book 1

by QuillWeaver



Series: Fireheart Fury [1]
Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: F/M, Post-Resident Evil 2, Post-Resident Evil 3 Remake, Post-Resident Evil 4, Post-Resident Evil 5, Post-Resident Evil 6, Post-Resident Evil: Damnation, Post-Resident Evil: Vendetta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:35:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 56,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28386366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuillWeaver/pseuds/QuillWeaver
Summary: When a series of kidnappings involving socially estranged women catches the attention of the DSO, elite agent Leon S. Kennedy is deployed to investigate.The case takes Leon to Halcyon Isle, an abandoned potter's island near New York City turned covert research facility. There Leon must face new horrors in his quest to discover the truth behind the kidnappings, and uncover the mysterious Phanes Project and the Omega Virus that lies at the heart of the disappearances. A race against time ensues as Leon fights to find the answers and stop one young woman from becoming the catalyst to bring about the world apocalypse.
Relationships: Chris Redfield/Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy/Original Character(s)
Series: Fireheart Fury [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2078985
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TruCare employee Sara Rios follows up on some horrific news of fellow employees of the retail chain who have been abducted, and soon meets the same fate.

Sara gazed restlessly out of the picture window behind the cash register at TruCare Pharmacy. Night cloaked the streets in black shadows, and the rush of New York City traffic had dwindled to a trickle. The nine o'clock hour brought a lull to the store that sorely tried Sara's patience and sanity.

Sighing gustily, she drew her smartphone, searching through the myriad app notifications abstractedly. The Google News app opened then opened, and its contents arrested her attention.

"Sixth woman reported missing in rash of mysterious kidnappings.  
"Tiana Franklin, age 24, was reported missing three days ago after she failed to arrive for work. Franklin's employer, Casandra Giordano, store manager of TruCare Pharmacy located in Blackmont, notified the authorities after repeated attempts to contact Franklin.  
"'When she didn't show up by the third day, I knew something was wrong,' says Giordano. 'Tiana always called or texted if she wasn't coming in; she was a responsible, conscientious worker. I left countless voicemails and text messages, and I never got a response. That's when I knew I should call the police.'  
"The authorities continue to investigate the disappearances, but so far, there are no leads in the case. Police warn women to be on high alert; avoid being out late at night, and if possible, don't travel alone."

Sara felt her blood run cold.

"Psst! Hey, Sara!" hissed Carmen, her evening shift co-worker. She made her way down the analgesic aisle languidly sweeping the floor. 

Sara started violently, and hastily flung her phone behind the counter. She looked up at Carmen then exhaled in relief. "Ah, Jesus, Carmen. You scared the hell outta me. I thought Breckel was coming."

"No, but he'd be on the war path if he saw you on the phone. Remember how he confiscated mine last week?" Carmen said. "Bastard might be watching the cameras; usually is."

"I know. I'm just so damn bored." Sara quickly pulled out a roll of paper towels and a bottle of multipurpose cleaner and set to work polishing the counter. "There. If he ogles the monitors, he'll see me working."

"You look kinda pale. You okay?" Carmen asked in a hushed voice.

Sara kept the wads of paper roving about the counter. "I was just reading a news update. You know those kidnappings that have been happening lately? A new one was reported a few days ago. A girl from Blackmont."

Carmen sidled up closer, stopping to paste a plastic welcoming smile on her face as two customers entered. Her smile vanished when they passed, her expression growing grave. "Another one?"

Sara nodded slowly. "Yeah. The scariest part is that this girl worked at a TruCare."

Carmen's eyes widened. "Oh, my God. That's the third TruCare employee that goes missing! What could a kidnapper possibly be looking for from a retail employee?" mused Carmen. 

"Certainly not ransom," Sara quipped despite the lead that seemed to suddenly gather in her stomach.

Carmen snorted. "Telling me!"

"All jokes aside, I'm worried. I'm stuck with the night shift. Breckel would never let me change shifts; I don't have enough seniority. And God forbid the stores should close early while the case is being investigated," Sara remarked.

"Are you kidding? That'd take an act of God!" Carmen laughed. She quickly sobered up. "Seriously, though, Sara, keep your eyes peeled. This is getting really scary, and I know you gotta close tonight."

"Yeah, that's not a real comforting thought," Sara sighed. By the time the store closed, the streets would be all but abandoned. The district's businesses would be nothing more than darkened windows and locked shutters. Then there was the long walk down the subway tunnel…

"Can't somebody come pick you up? At least on late nights like this," Carmen inquired.

Sara hesitated, embarrassed to admit the fact that she had no one to call on at all. She shook her head. "Nah; I couldn't do that. It's way too late to be bugging anyone to come all the way downtown. It's okay, I'll just be extra vigilant, that's all."

Carmen clicked her tongue. "Yeah. Well, if I were you, I'd seriously consider getting some mace or pepper spray. Can't be too careful. This is 21st century New York; it's a jungle out there."

Sara chuckled lightly, and with that, both girls returned to their work.

The night rolled by, and Sara observed the waning hours with growing trepidation. At ten o'clock, Carmen's shift ended, and Sara had watched her board her boyfriend's car wistfully. The bustling streets had gone silent, and Sara began to see the city as a haunted ghost town.

At last midnight arrived, and the store was officially closed for the night. Sara watched her few remaining co-workers disperse as the night manager pulled down the shutters. Some traveled together, others headed for the parking garage to their vehicles. Sara swallowed hard as she turned her feet toward the subway station, walking as quickly as she could.

Suspicious of every lone figure she saw, Sara finally boarded her train. The trip was thankfully uneventful, and Sara was relieved when the train finally pulled into her neighborhood. There was still the four-block walk to face, however. Sara sped down the street, wary of every shadowy pocket, ears perked for the slightest sound. The darkness of the night seemed heavy and unnatural, and the rustle of fallen leaves brought on by an occasional breath of wind sounded too much like conspiratorial whispering to Sara's frenzied mind.

TruCare employees going missing. But why? And where will they strike next?

At last Sara came to her building. Looking about cautiously, Sara entered. She quickly but carefully ascended the single flight of stairs and hurriedly entered her apartment.

Making certain the door was locked and chained, Sara sagged against the door in relief. She breathed a tremulous sigh then proceeded to her room where she flopped down on the bed. Safe at last.

Her fear having passed its climax, and the adrenaline having subsided, Sara began settling in for the night. She slipped into a nightshirt, prepared a bowl of ramen noodles and switched on the TV and gaming console. Sara loaded her usual favorite zombie shooter game Unholy Alliance.

Before a half hour had passed, Sara found herself unable to continue the game. The creatures, usually so entertaining to shoot and bludgeon, were suddenly too disturbing to even look at. The mood music and sound effects became oddly unnerving. With a frustrated flourish, Sara shut the game and TV down and shoved the bowl of untouched noodles into the refrigerator. 

"Jesus, Sara, you really need to get a grip," she chided herself as she headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth. "Things'll look brighter in the morning; they always do."

Sara hummed to herself as she brushed her teeth, trying to keep herself cheerful and calm. A distant but distinct noise immediately silenced her. Sara froze, the icy thrill of terror streaking down her spine.

She quickly shut off the water and laid down the toothbrush. Sara looked about wildly for something to use as a weapon. The only thing available was the wooden plunger. Foolish a weapon though it was, Sara seized it, gripping the handle with white knuckles.

Quietly, Sara stepped out into the tiny foyer, her soft ballet slippers making no noise on the linoleum floor. She held the plunger in a batting position and slowly walked toward the bedroom. She peered in cautiously and was relieved to find nothing, but her heart palpitated almost painfully. Trying to control her breathing, Sara carefully headed for the living room and kitchen.

She held still, struggling to listen past the throbbing of her heart and the roaring of blood in her ears as she surveyed the rooms. Several tense moments passed before Sara was convinced that all was clear. Calming herself by an effort, she lowered the plunger. "Could've been anything. Maybe somebody tossed a trash bag out a window or something," she mused as she headed back to the bathroom. 

As Sara passed her bedroom, she was suddenly aware of a chilly draft. Heart racing, she turned to look into the room. She was seized with horror at the sight of her window standing wide open, the thin curtains billowing in the October night wind. Before she could move, a figure attired in black, face shrouded by a black mask, appeared before her. Sara's eyes went wide with terror and her lips parted to scream, but a gloved hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her.

Turning her abruptly so that her back was against his chest, the attacker quietly drew a jet injector and approached it to her neck. Sara thrashed about wildly, shouting muffled pleas and struggling vainly to push the attacker's hand away. The next moment, there was a sharp burst of pain and hot pressure as the injector delivered its unknown contents. Sara's eyes rolled up into her head as she slowly went limp in her assailant's grip. Then the world went deathly silent and black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Division of Security Operations agent Leon S. Kennedy is briefed on the case of missing women and deployed to investigate along with a newly assigned partner.

Leon entered the briefing room at the Division of Security Operations, an over-sweetened cup of black coffee in hand, and took a seat at the broad round table in the center of the room. He stared at the board covered with photographs and notations pertaining to the latest case involving several abducted women.

Leon studied each of the photos in turn. The wall of smiling faces saddened him. They were all unsuspecting victims ruthlessly torn away from their lives. He wondered what cruel fate awaited them now. He then noticed a new photo added to the others. It was a shot of a young Latina woman. Scrawled beneath it was the name Sara Rios. Now there were seven victims. He gazed at the pictures with a troubled aspect, shaking his head. 

At that moment Deputy Director Olmire bustled into the room clutching an armload of files, her heels clicking loudly with each step. Her arrival jolted Leon out of his reverie and he sat up straighter, taking a long draft of the weak coffee.

"Good morning, Agent Kennedy," Deputy Olmire greeted him, glancing cursorily in his direction.

"Deputy Olmire," he acknowledged, inclining his head respectfully.

"We'll begin the briefing as soon as Agent Liu arrives," Olmire said, depositing her burden on the end of the table.

"Agent Liu?"

"Yes. Agent Liu has been our undercover contact within Eclipse Solutions. She's returned with important information on the case of the missing women. Since she's familiar with the internal workings of the company, I'm assigning her as your field partner. I think you'll find her skill and experience invaluable."

Leon nodded solemnly.

At that moment, an Asian woman entered the room. She held herself erect, her long, silky dark hair pulled back in a severe ponytail. Her brown eyes flashed as she turned them first on Leon then on Olmire. "I'm sorry I'm late. I hope I haven't missed anything," she said stiffly. 

Leon couldn't help feeling as though the temperature had just dropped ten degrees.

"Not at all. We haven't started yet. Agent Dana Liu, please meet Agent Leon Kennedy. You will be working together on this assignment."

Leon politely rose to shake Liu's hand, but she waved him off dismissively. "No need for that, Agent Kennedy. Good to meet you."

Leon shrugged and coolly sat again. "Okay." Major chip on shoulder noted.

"Agent Liu comes to us from Langley HQ. Her connection with the DSO runs as deeply as yours, Agent Kennedy," Olmire went on.

"Really?" inquired Leon. "What happened?"

"My grandparents were killed in the Tatchi incident," Liu answered crisply.

Leon's heart constricted. "I'm sorry," he said, sincerely. He shook his head. "That was a dark day for a lot of us."

"I understand you were on site when the missile landed," Liu said, studying him appraisingly. "You're a lucky man to still be breathing."

"Yeah. The monsters haven't managed to punch my ticket just yet," Leon replied, returning her gaze evenly.

"Agent Kennedy is a very competent and formidable member of the DSO; one of our best field operatives. You'll make an excellent team," remarked Olmire.

"It is good to know we can complement each other; I'm pleased," Liu replied.

Leon looked at her askance. It was going to be a real pleasure working with her. He returned to his coffee without comment, turning his attention to Olmire. 

Olmire cleared her throat. "This case warrants pooling our resources, and we need our best hands on deck. Unfortunately, there's been another kidnapping." She gestured at the newest photo.

"Sara Rios went missing thirty-six hours ago. She was reported missing by her store manager at a TruCare Pharmacy in New York City."

Leon sat back in his chair and studied the photos in turn, brows knitted in concentration. "She's the third victim who works at a TruCare store. But what about the other women? They range from Caucasian to African American to Latina. Their professions range from cashier to receptionist… It seems to be a random selection, so what's the common denominator?" he mused aloud. 

Agent Liu spoke up. "We've got two common denominators, actually: Eclipse Solutions Corporation doesn't just own the TruCare company. They also have a hand in Holy Mother's Heart Hospital, which is so highly funded by Eclipse they practically own it, and they helped found the Global Life Development and Research Corporation which claims to develop treatments and cures for diseases in third world countries. Three of these seven women worked within the hospital and Global Life network."

"Each one of these victims have one other thing in common: they have no families," continued Olmire. "Their families are either dead or estranged."

"'Disposable victims'," Leon said in disgust. "They figure nobody will miss them. Jesus."

Olmire handed Leon and Liu folders. "You already know that Devon Ramsey is president and CEO of Eclipse Solutions, but we've done a little more homework on him. See for yourselves."

Leon perused the contents of the folder. His head snapped up and he stared at Olmire. "Devon Ramsey, formerly of Neo-Umbrella?"

"That's right. Ramsey was one of Neo-Umbrella's lower rung researchers. Two years before the outbreak in China, Ramsey had a falling out with top researcher Carla Radames, and he was fired.

"Ramsey was bankrupted and ended up on the streets for six months. Somehow, he managed to get himself together and eventually he found an entry level opportunity with Eclipse Solutions. He quickly climbed up the ladder until he made it to Vice President. In 2014, Frank Winchell, President of Eclipse died and Ramsey was unanimously elected to Winchell's office."

A storm of dark memories raged behind Leon's intense gray-blue eyes as he recalled the massive bioterrorist attack in Tall Oaks perpetrated by Neo-Umbrella who had released a deadly virus into the Ivy University college, infecting dozens of students and turning them into the walking dead. The attack had resulted in the massacre of over 70,000 Americans including the then-U.S. president and founder of the DSO, Adam Benford whom Leon had been forced to terminate personally. It had been a replica of Raccoon City; the night he had learned that monsters were real.

Neo-Umbrella had also been behind the deployment of the virus-laden missile in Tatchi, China. That incident had also claimed the lives of thousands, and Leon himself had barely managed to escape. Neo-Umbrella had been the dark phoenix to rise from Umbrella's demise

"So Ramsey's trying to pick up where he left off at Neo-Umbrella," Leon mused.

"I don't know what he was working on then, but I uncovered some classified files that reveal viral weapon research and development," Liu said. "My chief discovery was a top secret file known as Project Phanes."

Leon's mouth formed a grim line. "Phanes," he scoffed. "Greek god of procreation and the generation of life. This is sounding pretty ominous already."

"Yeah. Whatever that project is about, it's serious business. Unfortunately, the Phanes files had too many security blocks to be fully reviewed, but I was able to get a hold of some notes. They mention the failure of unnamed subjects in a certain lab trial along with a request for fresh subjects," Liu continued. 

"I'm going to take a wild guess that our victims are the requested test subjects," Leon suggested.

"That's our hypothesis, yes," answered Olmire. She turned on the monitor to display a large, sprawling island. "According to Agent Liu's report, Ramsey's files indicate that he has acquired a very peculiar piece of property: an island to the east of New York City known as Halcyon Isle. It is an abandoned potter's field with over a million and a half people buried therein." She zoomed in on the island to reveal countless grave markers.

"Ramsey definitely knows the three rules of real estate; that's the prime location for that bastard's line of work," Leon observed dryly. 

"Quite. Aerial photographs and satellite images show that Ramsey has since constructed various edifices on the two-mile island. He's got the place fixed up like a fortress, and has apparently set up an elaborate research facility there." Olmire shifted the onscreen image to display a satellite photo of a large tower at the northernmost point of the island. Dotted around the island were smaller buildings. 

Olmire turned to the board and addressed the photos of the kidnapping victims. "Unfortunately, given the amount of time they've been missing, it is highly unlikely that they're all still alive." She indicated the last three photos. "There may be hope, however, for the three most recent abductees: Allison Cahill and Tiana Franklin, who went missing two weeks ago, and of course Sara Rios. There's a slight chance that some of them are alive. Your objectives are to head to Halcyon Isle, infiltrate the facility, and seize all information pertinent to Project Phanes, then find and extricate any survivors."

Olmire turned back to face Leon and Liu. "This is by no means a military operation. However, we will have a unit on standby in case things should get out of hand. Captain Redfield of the BSAA will be spearheading the detachment. Once you've completed your mission there will be a chopper ready to meet you at the designated extraction point. Ingrid Hunnigan will be your assigned Field Operations Support agent. As always, she'll keep you informed and provide all necessary coordinates for successful evacuation."

Leon swallowed the remainder of his coffee, now unpleasantly cold. "Calling out the heavy hitters… Looks like we're anticipating a rough game."

"Nothing the two of you shouldn't be able to handle, Agent Kennedy. I have complete faith in you," Olmire told him.

Leon's jaw tightened slightly, but he nodded.

Agent Liu nodded haughtily. "When do we leave, Deputy Olmire?"

"Wheels up in two hours," Olmire replied. "Good luck to you both."

Having said this, Olmire shut down the monitor and exited the room. Agent Liu followed at a brisk pace. Leon, however, lingered, gazing at the photos of the victims each in turn, brow furrowed. More lives wasted in the endless pursuit of bioterrorism. He shook his head, crushing the empty paper cup he held reflexively in quiet anger. Leon’s eyes remained fixed on the photo of Sara Rios, the latest victim. He analyzed her smiling face. A shadow of unhappiness contradicted that smile, but there was something stormy and almost fierce in her dark eyes. He hoped profoundly that the strength he read in those deep orbs would help her hold out.

“Hang in there,” he muttered to the silent pictures. “We’re coming for ya.” He tossed the crumpled cup into the trash can. “Let’s go cut the worm out of the Big Apple.”

Squaring his shoulders, Leon headed out determinedly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suffering at the hands of her kidnappers, Sara Rios watches and listens as she awaits her fate, hoping desperately for a miracle.

Sara huddled in a corner of her dank cell, her breath coming out in shaky rasps as she shivered violently. Her voice had gone nearly hoarse crying out to her captors and barraging the guards, all of whom wore tactical masks, with shrill questions that garnered no responses. Across from her own cell another young woman was likewise being held, and Sara had again and again called to her in an effort to learn anything she could about their situation, but her desperate queries were met only with sobs or chilling silence.

She had spent the past twenty four hours between her cell and a laboratory. She remembered little of her time in the lab except for masked lab technicians scrutinizing her under brilliant white lights, the room flanked by computers, X-ray illuminators and lab cabinets. Sara had been mostly sedated--few were her lucid moments--but during those brief periods of consciousness, she had been acutely aware of bloodcurdling screams reverberating down the halls. Through her drug-induced torpor, Sara could only wonder with dulled horror what atrocities the poor victim was enduring.

Sara studied her arms, dismayed at the bruises and marks left by the onslaught of needles thrust into her flesh to draw blood or fill her with sedatives. She rubbed her wrists, now chafed and raw from pulling at the restraints confining her to the surgical table when the drugs wore off. Enervated, Sara began to doze off, but a low, gurgling moan roused her. She sat stock-still, forgetting her weariness. The sound was reiterated, louder this time. It seemed to be coming from the cell across from hers.

Sara rose slowly, fear and curiosity urging her to peer through the window of her cell door into the dim corridor. The violent rumbling and rattling of metal followed. Sara gasped in alarm as she watched the prisoner lift the iron bed and send it sailing across the room. The woman turned to the door, eyes wild. Seeing Sara looking out at her, she thrust her face up against the bars regarding Sara balefully.

Sara backed away nervously. 

The woman's expression then changed, becoming woeful. She slowly wrapped her fingers around the bars, the torn remnants of wrist restraints dangled from her arms. "Help me," she wailed. She then doubled over, moaning and whimpering. When she raised her head again her dark-skinned face had contorted into a grotesque, inhuman snarl, eyes glowing a fierce amber. She threw back her head and roared bestially, banging on the door with such force that the steel bulged where she had struck it.

Sara stared in horror as the savage cry was followed by the gut-wrenching sounds of flesh tearing, snarling and growling. She recoiled from the door with a cry of terror. 

The lights went down, replaced by red emergency lights as an earsplitting alarm suddenly sounded. “Warning: aberration detected in holding cell 603. Facility lockdown in progress," blared a female computerized voice.

Following that announcement, Sara heard thundering footsteps flooding the corridors. She heard muffled voices shouting orders to each other, and the sound of weapons being readied. Despite her fear, Sara ducked low under the window and peered out, working to steady her buckling knees.

Five masked soldiers stood in attack formation, but before they could open fire, the cell door burst off its hinges, scattering them. There was a smattering of swearing, and gunfire erupted as the mutated atrocity stormed out of the cell. The creature stood at a massive seven feet, the left side of its face split open. Blood and brown mucus oozed from the vacant eye socket. The monster's mouth, now a gyrating hole with razor-sharp teeth, was twisted in an enraged snarl. A small pair of flightless wings dangled uselessly from its shoulders, covered with blood and pus. It was almost impossible to believe that this monstrosity had been a normal human woman just minutes before. 

"Get the acid rounds! Take the bitch down!" shouted one of the soldiers.

Another volley of shots were fired. The creature howled, its fury wrought to the highest as the bullets pierced its flesh, spraying the stone walls with blood. The creature flailed out a large, deformed arm, sweeping two of the soldiers aside. It snatched up another man in its large hand and crushed him until his bones shattered with a sickening crunch. The monster made a guttural noise that sounded like distorted laughter as it flung aside the broken corpse like a rag doll. Sara's outcry was lost in the din.

"Get outta the way!" barked a new voice. "Fire in the hole!"

The remaining soldiers hurled themselves out of the way to make room for the newcomer who held a grenade launcher.

"Oh, my God!" Sara screamed. She dove to the floor and rolled clear of the door, clamping her hands over her ears to drown out the noise, but the thunderous blast of the grenade launcher shook her teeth. The launcher was fired again then everything went silent. At length Sara uncovered her ears, retching as the odor of acid and eroding flesh filled the air.

"That's how you take down a nasty bug," joked one of the soldiers. 

"Are you nuts, man?! Dean's dead, and you're making jokes?" another said disgustedly.

"Hey, we all take our chances here. We knew what we were signing up for. Don't get soft on me now, Jordan. Better let Doc Grey know we had to dispose of T7."

"Why the hell do I have to do it?" demanded the said Jordan.

"Because I outrank you," was the reply. 

"Grey's gonna be pissed. That one was a double failure," another soldier remarked.

"His project, his problem," grumbled Jordan. "We're just the hired guns."

A flurry of activity followed, during which Sara assumed they were clearing the area. "Incinerate that shit," the commander ordered.

Sara heard the sound of a pin being pulled, the next moment there was a low explosion and the sound of crackling flames.

"Move out," the commander barked. The retreat of footsteps resounded in the corridor as the unit departed. 

Sara waited a few minutes before venturing to glimpse through the door. Her body quivered with sheer terror, knees trembling as she struggled to stand. She looked over at the damaged cell across to see the remains of the monster engulfed in low-burning flames as it slowly disintegrated into ashes.

A low moan of despair escaped Sara's lips as she slid down to the floor. Panic seized her heart as she replayed the soldiers' words in her mind. She was certain that it wouldn't be long before she suffered the same fate. Hugging her knees to her chin, Sara hung her head and wept in anguish. "Oh, God, please help me. I don't wanna die!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and his partner, Agent Dana Liu arrive at Halcyon Isle in search of the abducted women.

Leon and Liu rode silently on the small ski boat toward Halcyon Isle, Liu at the helm, each with their mind occupied. 

Leon brooded over what horrors might await them there. Halcyon Isle--there was an ironic name! Nothing pleasant or calm awaited them on that island. He glanced up at the sky, now crimson and shadowy violet in the gloaming. Dark clouds rolled across the setting sun like a ghostly tide, threatening rain. The sight was foreboding, but Leon refused to let the bleakness overcome him.

The boat skimmed along the water briskly until the island came into view. Liu slowed the boat and carefully pulled into the dock, her steely gaze flitting around cautiously. Seeing that the coast was clear, she and Leon disembarked from the boat, securing their gear and drawing their guns.

The comm line tweeted. "Leon, Dana, confirm arrival to your destination," came the voice of Ingrid Hunnigan, FOS agent.

"We're here, Hunnigan," replied Leon. "We just docked. Looks like we're clear so far."

"Great. I've mapped out a route to get you into Building A. We haven't determined exactly what that facility might be, but there's a chance that it may be a lab or prison--maybe both. Your best point of entry is an underground tunnel via an artificial mausoleum."

"Artificial mausoleum?" Liu asked.

"Yes, I'm sending the coordinates to your comms. According to the blueprints we received, the mausoleum is an emergency escape route from the A facility," Hunnigan informed them.

The comm devices rang and vibrated. Leon drew his and studied the data. "Got it."

"Good luck, you two. Line's open," Hunnigan said.

"Thanks, Hunnigan, " Leon replied. He replaced the comm device and prepared to set out. "Let's move out. Keep a sharp lookout, Liu," he advised his partner. 

"Agent Kennedy, I know what I'm doing. This isn't my first rodeo," Liu said icily.

Leon turned a hard gaze on her. "Maybe not, but it can easily be our last. We're not here to compete against each other. Our job is to try to shut down Eclipse and save any survivors. Now, we might just manage it if we work together and watch each other's backs."

Liu pinched her lips tightly as if straining to hold her tongue. After a moment's internal struggle, she nodded. "Agreed."

Without exchanging another syllable, both agents began their trek through the cemetery that was Halcyon Isle. They passed several rows of weathered headstones uneventfully, but their eyes roved the landscape constantly. The final embers of the twilight sun were extinguished behind a cloudy curtain. Distant thunder rumbled overhead followed by a glimmer of lightning.

Feeling the first drops of rain, Leon scoffed. "A dark and stormy night. How's that for ambiance?" His attention was arrested suddenly by another sound far more worrisome than thunder: shuddering, raspy breathing. 

Both agents turned on their ear mount flashlights, revealing three zombies slowly lurching toward them, decaying arms outstretched as they advanced. "Liu," Leon warned his partner, firing stance already assumed.

"I see them," Liu replied quietly. 

The two instantly opened fire. The creatures howled and screeched, but a moment later, they crumpled to the ground.

"I wondered where the welcoming committee was," Leon remarked dryly.

"We'd better get a move on," Liu said. "We hang around here, we'll just blow our ammo. God knows how many of those things are around here."

"Copy that," Leon agreed.

The two continued to make their way through the cemetery, Leon periodically checking the GPS for guidance to the mausoleum.

A series of growls and roars rent the air, shattering the deathly silence. A group of undead were gathering from various sides of the cemetery while others were erupting from fresher unmarked graves.

Liu immediately fired expertly. Electing to conserve ammunition, Leon drew his survival knife and charged headlong at one of the creatures. After several thrusts and slashes, the monster went down. Another grasped at Leon from behind, threatening to trap him in a body lock. Leon quickly freed himself with a back hand punch. The creature stumbled backward with a snarl, and Leon followed up with a spinning roundhouse kick. The creature fell to the ground, and Leon didn't hesitate to crush its skull under a heavy boot.

For her part, Liu was handling herself well, delivering powerful kicks and blows to the enclosing zombies, and dealing sharp pistol-whips to keep them at bay. She cried out in surprise when a bony hand, stunningly strong, grasped her ankle and dragged her down. Liu struggled with the zombie, managing a smart kick to its open mouth, but another creature overwhelmed her, leaping on top of her, determined to sink its rotted teeth into her neck. Liu grappled with it violently. 

Leon was beside her in a flash, and with a hard kick, he sent the creature sprawling aside. But the zombie was quicker than expected, and it reared back up, ready to spring at Leon's throat. Anticipating the monster's attack, he seized it as it charged, smashing its face against a headstone. Its skull burst open and the body slumped to the earth.

Panting with effort, Leon turned back to his partner who was recovering from the attack. He offered her his hand. "You okay?" he asked.

Liu accepted his help. "Yeah, I'm good," she answered grudgingly. "Thanks."

Leon drew the GPS again and studied it.

"Shit. Tell me we're getting close to that damn mausoleum," Liu grumbled, dusting herself off. 

"Yeah, it's not far; about five yards away," he replied.

Quickening their pace to avoid further zombie encounters, Leon and Liu headed deeper into the cemetery. After a couple of turns, they finally came to a large white mausoleum.

"That's it," said Leon. "Our entry point."

Liu tried the door handle. "Locked! Damn it!" She rattled it impatiently.

Leon huffed. "Nothing's ever easy," he muttered. He examined the door. There was a circular indentation at its center. "Looks like something goes in there."

"Fantastic. Now all we have to do is figure out what that is and where to find it." Liu holstered her weapon and stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the area. "If it's an emergency way out, chances are there won't be an accessible way in."

"Not necessarily. Think how some people leave spare keys to their houses under a mat or over a door. In case of an emergency situation, there's an alternative to a lost key," Leon reasoned.

Liu nodded. "Makes sense--in this case, anyway. It's ridiculous for a house. So our 'spare key' has to be close by." She looked around at the other mausoleums nearby. "If your theory is correct, it's probably in one of these; hidden in the open."

"And if it is, the door'll be unlocked."

Leon and Liu tried several different mausoleum doors, but most were locked. At last they discovered a mausoleum that bore a relief of the god Phanes.

"Liu, check this one out. Phanes. Better get our lights ready." Leon readied his gun and carefully tried the knob. It turned with relative ease. He glanced over at Liu and listed his head toward the door, warning her silently to be on her guard.

She nodded shortly and took her stance as Leon shoved the door open quickly, sweeping his weapon around the room.

The mausoleum was pitch-dark and absolutely silent. Leon signaled for Liu to follow him inside. Even combined, their scanty beams of light barely broke through the heavy darkness, and it took several moments for their eyes to adjust to the dim light.

The single room was nearly bare except for a large granite table lined with urns, vases and coffers. In the very center of the room was a large, unmarked sarcophagus. Leon and Liu got to work searching and shaking out the pottery. The search was fruitless. 

"Nothing," Liu grumbled. She stood with her arms akimbo for a moment then she chuckled dryly, her gaze falling on the sarcophagus. "Sometimes the answer is in plain sight: the sarcophagus. Help me get this thing open."

Leon took a place beside her and the two of them began to push at the heavy stone lid. After several seconds of heaving and grunting, they managed to push it off. It landed on the stone floor with a dismaying clang.

They leaned cautiously into the sarcophagus and peered inside. A desiccated corpse occupied it, and resting on its hands was a talisman in the form of a solar eclipse.

"Bingo," Leon said. He took up the talisman and inspected it more closely. "Let's check this out."

Leon and Liu headed back to the false mausoleum. Leon drew the talisman and inserted it into the indentation. He stepped back, signaling for Liu to follow suit. The door made a rumbling, scraping noise then slid open to reveal a yawning black void.

Leon peered inside cursorily, once again sweeping the threshold with his gun. Aside from an eerie shadow-soaked silence, however, the area was clear. A foot away was the landing of a staircase leading down into perfect darkness. Leon gestured for Liu to follow him, and together they hurried through the portal.

No sooner had they entered than the door ground itself shut, effectively sealing Leon and Liu inside. "I'm not comfortable with that," she muttered.

"Well, we're definitely not going back that way," Leon said. "Let's see where we're headed next." He produced the GPS. "Damn. No signal. Looks like we're winging it for now."

Liu pushed her way past him, cutting ahead, and shone her light down the first few steps. "Let's move, then." She proceeded to make her down the stairs.

Leon shook his head in irritation and followed her at a safe distance.

They traversed a long corridor of dark stone, silence hanging between them as heavily as the blackness around them. The only sound to be heard was their cautious footsteps as they advanced.

Both agents were dazzled by a series of motion-activated lights that suddenly flashed on. They recovered quickly, weapons ready for an attack, but the area remained quiet. As yet their presence remained unknown.

"Looks like we're officially in the facility," Liu remarked, switching off her flashlight.

Ahead of them was an elevator with a large, glowing red call button on either side. Leon and Liu each took their position, and with a nod of accord, they simultaneously punched the buttons.

The elevator responded with a distant clang and mechanical whir. Presently it opened, and having ascertained that it was empty, Leon and Liu entered.

Leon inspected the elevator control panel. "Going up." He hit the button. 

The ascent was a considerably long one, during which Leon's thoughts darkened. Every mission he'd ever worked had been filled with losses, often leaving him with the feeling he had half failed even at the best of times. A small part of him feared that this time would be no different. His hands tightened around his gun's grip mechanically.

"Where's your head at, Kennedy?" Liu asked, glancing at him sideways.

"Right where it needs to be," he responded shortly.

The elevator ground to a halt and opened silently in a broad corridor of concrete walls and floors. There was no one to be seen.

"It's too quiet," Liu remarked.

"Yeah; I don't like it. It's just the calm before the shitstorm," Leon said, brow furrowed.

The two headed down the corridor looking this way and that, careful not to make noise. They came to an intersection where the hall broke off into two turns. Liu quickly checked her GPS.

"Holding cells are on the left, waste disposal facility to the right. Looks like the lab is further ahead past disposal," she informed Leon. 

His jaw tightened. He could imagine all too easily what the disposal facility held. The thought sickened him. He cocked his head to the left, signaling Liu to follow him.

They were stopped short in their progress at the sight of a sentry in full tactical gear coming down the hall. Leon and Liu melted back into the shadows, backs flush against the wall. As the sentry made the corner, Liu leaped out at him. She seized him by the neck, and with a forceful bend and twist, snapped it instantly. She dragged the corpse back to the wall where Leon waited silently.

"Gotta be more where that came from," Leon muttered. "Better nix the guns."

Liu nodded. They holstered their guns, and Leon drew his survival knife. This wasn't going to be easy, but what the hell? It never was.

Voices could be heard approaching: two more sentries were on their way. Leon and Liu revealed themselves. 

"Shit! Intruders!" shouted one of the sentries. They raised their weapons to fire, but Leon and Liu were quicker.

Liu launched herself at the first sentry who tried to land a blow with the butt of his assault rifle, but she grappled with him, wrestling it out of his hands. For a moment the two scrapped, trading blows, but Liu got the upper hand, skittering around behind him. She gave him a hard kick, dashing him against the wall. The moment he fell, sprawled out, Liu bashed the butt of the rifle through his helmet visor. The sentry gurgled and convulsed for several seconds before going still.

Leon had performed a perfectly timed sliding kick, effectively sweeping the second sentry off his feet. But this soldier was sharper than his partner. He was up again immediately, tactical knife in hand. He took a few slashes at Leon who deftly avoided each strike before delivering a successful slash of his own. At the sight of his own blood staining Leon’s knife, the soldier bellowed with rage and charged at Leon who spun away in time to avoid him. A flawless side kick to the head finished off the soldier as he hit the wall with a sickening crack then slid to the floor, his neck hanging limply to one side. A plastic card slid out from his waist pack.

Leon caught sight of the card and stooped to pick it up. “‘Level A Security’,” he read. “This'll come in handy.”

“Let’s get moving before any more of these bastards show up,” Liu said.

They made their way to the end of the corridor without further incident. Presently, they came to a large steel door. A proximity card access reader beside it glowed halting red. Leon held the card up to the scanner. The light went green and instantly, with a loud click, the lock disengaged. Leon cautiously pushed the door open, Liu at his heels.

This corridor was clear; no sentries were to be seen, but the lingering odor of charred flesh hung in the air. As with the previous corridor, the walls were made of solid, cold concrete, but here they were flanked by eight cells. All but one cell was sealed securely by steel doors with iron-barred windows set high above the floor.

“Good God, what is that smell?” Liu asked hoarsely, covering her nose with her arm to avoid gagging.

Leon approached the open cell cautiously. “Door’s been blown right off its hinges,” he reported to Liu. The walls adjacent to the door were splashed with blood. Leon inspected the stains carefully. “Looks fairly fresh,” he noted. Keeping his body pressed to the wall and his gun ready, he peered warily into the vacant cell. “Damn…”

The entire cell was blackened with the charred remains of a bed and a toilet begrimed with soot. A half-melted light bulb dangled from the ceiling. An enormous black outline at the threshold indicated that something quite inhuman had recently been incinerated therein.

Liu approached the room and looked in. “Jesus,” she muttered. “Looks like one of their experiments failed miserably.”

“Another failed B.O.W.,” Leon said bitterly. His heart sank at the realization that they were too late to save this victim. He wondered which of the smiling girls from the board had had her life so cruelly extinguished here.

“If any of our abductees are still alive, they’ve gotta be in here. But how do we get these cell doors open?” Liu wondered aloud.

Leon caught sight of a control panel at the opposite end of the corridor. “Let's check that panel out,” he said.

They crossed the hall to the panel and studied it. A bright LED screen glowed over a stainless steel alphanumeric keyboard waiting for data input. Beside it was a small whiteboard reading eight codes: HB1, SM2, FZ3, JL4, YC5, AC6, TF7, SR8. The first seven codes had been crossed out in red marker, each strikethrough marked with a corresponding date. Only SR8 remained clear.

“What the hell is this supposed to mean?” demanded Liu. She stared at the list in frustration.

Leon’s mind raced through different possibilities. Realization quickly dawned on him. “Eight codes, eight cells. I bet these codes open the doors.” He maintained a brief, thoughtful silence. “I bet the codes correspond to the missing victims’ names.”

“You memorized their names?” asked Liu, sounding surprised.

“Yeah... I did.” The missing womens’ faces were burned into his memory as were their names; particularly the last three Olmire had fixed their focus on. “There are eight codes; most likely two victims who were never reported. But the others we're looking for: Fran Zimmerman, Jillian Lau, Yvette Carrillo, and the last three to be abducted were Allison Cahill, Tiana Franklin and Sara Rios--AC6, TF7 and SR8. If I’m right…” Leon trailed off as he looked at the list of crossed-out codes. “Only one victim is left alive.” His mouth formed a grim line.

Liu glanced at him surreptitiously then turned her attention back to the keypad. “Okay; let’s try your theory, Kennedy. Stay sharp in case something ambushes us.”

Nodding, Leon took a defensive stance and waited for the first door to open. 

Liu began at the top of the list, punching in the code HB1. A loud buzz echoed throughout the corridor before the first door on the right opened.

Leon aimed his gun at the room, unsure whether he would find one of the abductees or a B.O.W. ready to attack. But there was nothing except an unmarred version of the burned-out cell they had first encountered. Like the former, this cell was furnished with a bed, its linens soiled with blood stains and urine, and a grimy toilet in a corner of the room. A single light bulb flickered drearily. "Clear," Leon reported. He tamped down his fury at the negative discovery. His fears were being confirmed.

Liu entered the next code, and thus they repeated the process until they came to TF7. It was clear then that Tiana Franklin had been the unfortunate victim of the incineration.

Only cell SR8 remained. Leon hoped with every fiber of his being that the last abductee awaited within.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara Rios meets her rescuers, and they head out of her cell, but escape from the facility is questionable.

Sara heard the distant sounds of a skirmish echoing through the corridor. Silence fell, followed by a door opening and two voices exchanging hushed dialogue. Footsteps approached slowly. She hied back to the farthest corner of the room behind the shabby bed and hunkered down, trying to listen past the thundering of her heart.

The two strangers spoke again, but in so low a key, she could distinguish nothing. After a moment's silence, there was a faint electronic beeping followed by a loud buzzing. Somewhere nearby, a cell door opened. Sara held her breath. What was happening out there? Was another victim being brought in? She didn't dare risk a look.

The same beeping and buzzing was repeated six more times. Sara became acutely aware that someone was drawing closer each time a lock was released. The advancing footsteps halted at her door. She waited with bated breath as the electronic beeping sounded again. Her blood ran cold as the loud buzz announced the release of her own cell's lock.

The door swung open revealing a man aiming a gun into the room. He stepped cautiously over the threshold, surveying the area thoroughly. The low bed offered poor concealment, and it wasn't long before he caught sight of her. The man studied her for a moment before lowering his gun and calling over his shoulder. "Liu, I found a survivor!"

The man drew near carefully. Sara shrank back against the wall as far as she could. He holstered his gun and raised his hands placatingly. "It's okay," he said warmly, his voice a rich, pleasant baritone. "I'm not gonna hurt you. You're Sara Rios, am I right?"

Hesitating briefly, Sara nodded mutely. The man stood before her now and Sara could see him clearly. He was tall and well-built, clad in black from his leather jacket and fingerless gloves to his sturdy boots. A thigh holster was securely strapped on either leg, each equipped with a handgun. A loaded waist pack was visible beneath the hem of his jacket.

He crouched down before Sara and looked into her face searchingly. Despite her apprehension, she couldn't help noting that he was strikingly handsome. His walnut-brown hair cascaded down either side of his face in side-cut asymmetrical bangs. His somewhat narrow gray-blue eyes regarded her somberly, but there was kindness in them, and his brow was furrowed with concern.

"My name's Leon," he said quietly. "My partner and I are here to rescue you."

As if on cue, an Asian woman entered the room. She briefly surveyed the scene before holstering her own gun. "Any signs of infection or mutation?" she asked.

"Doesn't look like it," Leon replied. He stood up, still watching Sara. "This is Agent Liu," he informed her. "Liu, this is Sara Rios."

Sara looked up at Liu, taking her in fully. She was similarly equipped as Leon, sporting a thigh holster and a waist pack. A short-barreled shotgun was fastened around her torso from a sling. Unlike Leon, however, her countenance lacked sympathy, and her bearing was somewhat frigid and haughty. 

She glanced down at Sara cocking her head. "Miss Rios, my partner and I are agents with the Division of Security Operations. We're here to get you out and shut down the organization responsible for your abduction. Can you quickly tell us any information that might shed some light on the operations here?"

Leon scoffed. "Liu, this isn't the best time for an interrogation; she's in shock. Let's focus on getting her out of here. A little sensitivity would be good, too."

Liu pursed her lips, and shot him a sharp glance. She returned her attention to Sara, looking her over. "Can she talk?"

Leon shook his head disapprovingly.

"Yeah, I can talk," Sara snapped. "After what I've seen and experienced, I should be catatonic."

Liu raised a brow while Leon looked mildly amused and even pleased at Sara's sudden rally of wits.

Sara started to her feet, but her legs faltered. Leon offered her his hand, and she gratefully accepted his aid. "I don't know what's going on. I don't understand--" A fit of shivering seized her, stopping her mid-sentence. She hugged herself then flushed with embarrassment, realizing how scanty her short, filthy nightshirt was.

Leon quietly removed his jacket and draped it over Sara's shoulders. "Thank you," she mumbled, looking at him bewilderedly. He inclined his head and stepped back. As he did so, she noted a holstered survival knife secured around his muscular shoulders. The agents certainly looked prepared. She only hoped it would be enough to survive this place.

Sara exhaled tremulously. "All I can tell you is that they're using us prisoners as guinea pigs." She extended her right arm to the agents. "Look."

Leon took hold of her arm, scrutinizing the trail of bruised needle marks that ran down its length. Liu inserted herself beside him, studying the marks as well. She looked up at Sara, eyes narrowed. "Have you been injected with anything?" she demanded.

"I don't think so," Sara replied, trying to steady her voice. "But they've taken a lot of blood samples. Everything's kinda fuzzy; they kept drugging me." She clutched the jacket around her in palsied fists, her knuckles going white. "They're turning us into monsters. I saw the prisoner across from me turn into a horrible creature. And the soldiers, they couldn't kill it with bullets; they had to use a grenade launcher! I swear to God, it's true."

"We know," Liu said calmly. "That's why we're here."

"Are any of the other women still alive?" asked Leon.

A thrill of icy terror shot down Sara's spine as she recalled the screams resounding through the halls. "I don't think so," she said, her voice barely audible. "Except for the girl that mutated, I haven't heard anyone else in a while." 

"Damn it!" muttered Liu.

Leon's eyes faltered momentarily in disappointment. He shook his head, the shadow of grief briefly crossing his face.

At that moment, the lights in the corridor dimmed and red alarm lights went off. Voices shouted and footsteps pounded down the hall. The computerized voice blared out: "Intruder alert. Facility lockdown initiated. Neutralization now underway."

"Damn. They saw our handiwork sooner than I expected," Liu remarked, her frame tensing.

"Shit. This just got a whole lot harder," Leon said. He drew both guns and turned to Sara. "Get down; keep out of sight."

Sara nodded. Shoving her arms into the jacket sleeves, she ducked down behind the bed again, watching anxiously as the agents headed out into the fray. Liu had her shotgun in hand and was blasting at the onslaught of soldiers that were coming their way. Leon was firing away with both guns, looking exactly like a gunslinger from the Old West. It was all over in a matter of minutes.

Agent Liu reentered the cell. "Come on," she called. "We gotta move!" She took hold of Sara's arm and pulled her to her feet. Sara gawked at the scene before her as she exited into the corridor. The floor was littered with the bodies of black-clad soldiers lying in puddles of blood.

Leon quickly looted the fallen soldiers for weapons and ammunition. He was now newly equipped with a submachine gun. He handed another to Liu along with a pair of loaded magazines. "We're still on lockdown. There's only one way in and out of here. We need a valid passcode to deactivate the system."

"Hunnigan's got the facility codes I acquired; the benefit of my being a DSO hacker, " said Liu. She turned aside, speaking into a concealed earpiece. "Hey, Hunnigan, we're on lockdown here. Can you get us the deactivation code?"

A pause followed. "7628. Thanks, Hunnigan." Liu punched in the code.

The lights brightened immediately as the lockdown deactivated, and the door opened. Leon now took Sara's wrist and pulled her through the door after Liu. Sara trotted behind him, feeling dizzy.

"You have something that belongs to me," a voice suddenly echoed along the hall.

The trio halted. Liu and Leon readied their weapons for an encounter, but there was no one in sight.

"Cameras? Where?" whispered Liu.

Leon shook his head silently, scanning the area.

"I want it back." The cold, deep voice flooded the corridor via hidden speakers.

Rage mingled with fear at these words as Sara understood instantly that the speaker was referring to her. She looked up, seeking the hidden camera. A small green light flashing beside an overhead light fixture caught her eye. She touched Leon lightly on the arm and cocked her head discreetly toward the camera.

Leon looked up at it defiantly. "Sorry, pal. No more guinea pigs for you." He fired at the hidden camera, shattering it into a rain of glass and metal shards.

"I admire your bravado," the speaker said scornfully, "but you're not going anywhere. My men are coming to collect my property."

"I'm not your property, you sick son of a bitch!" shouted Sara.

A loud alarm sounded, followed by the thudding of rapidly approaching footsteps.

"Aw, shit. This just got out of control real fast," Liu remarked. 

"They're coming from both sides!" exclaimed Sara.

They ran faster, Sara between Liu and Leon, each agent positioned to protect her as they dashed forward. They reached an intersection in the corridor. "This way!" shouted Liu.

They made a sharp left and all but collided with a group of soldiers in red-striped helmets charging toward them. Liu opened fire instantly. Sara ducked down immediately, cowering against the wall, hoping to avoid an errant bullet or blow.

Leon took on the oncoming wave of soldiers coming up the rear. Sara watched him skillfully evade enemy fire and fell two soldiers, alternating between his firearms and an impressive series of kicks and body slams.

Sara was jarred out of her petrification as Liu pulled her roughly to her feet and hauled her forward. They threaded past the dead soldiers. Behind them, Leon finished off his last attacker. At last they came to a door marked Waste Disposal with an access reader.

"We've lost the element of surprise. We'd better take a detour here. Kennedy, you still got the keycard?" demanded Liu.

In response, Leon produced the card and tossed it to her. She turned to scan the card. Then a horrific turn of events occurred. 

The bodies of the soldiers began writhing and wriggling, their heads swelling and trembling wildly.

"What the hell?" muttered Sara fearfully.

"Shit. They're mutating. Be careful, Liu," Leon said.

"I see them, Kennedy," Liu responded peevishly. She ushered Sara behind her and cocked her shotgun. Leon quickly reloaded his guns, his expression steely.

The soldiers' helmets exploded open, spraying blood across the walls, deformed heads burst forth. Their suits ripped open, revealing torn, bloody flesh. Their hands elongated, spindly but deadly claws erupting from their fingers. They lifted themselves up from the floor and began advancing on the group.

"Damn! This just keeps getting better," Leon remarked. He opened fire on the advancing monstrosities. 

Shoving Sara out of her petrification, Liu thrust the keycard into her hand. "Open the door!" she ordered. She blasted away the creature closest to her. 

Hands shaking, Sara passed the card quickly through the reader. The light flashed red. Read error. "No!" She tried again to no avail. Sara pounded on the door frantically. "The reader's not working!” she cried. She shrieked as one of the monsters bounded toward her. Liu shot it down.

"Sara, look out!" Leon's voice rang out sharply over savage snarls.

The warning came a second too late. A bloody appendage entwined around her waist, pulling her to the floor. A scream tore from her throat as she was dragged backwards.

Sara struggled vainly to free herself, still clutching the keycard. Leon chased after the retreating tentacle, slashing at it until it released Sara. Moving swiftly, he hacked it off. Two more shots ended the monster. Leon hoisted Sara to her feet and retreated with her to the Waste Disposal door.

The hall went silent again.

"Well," Liu panted. "Guess that ends that."

"Liu, watch your back!" Leon shouted suddenly. 

Liu's eyes went wide in anguished astonishment, and she uttered an agonized cry as a thick tentacle impaled her from behind and erupted from her chest. Blood poured from her gaping mouth as she convulsed in death throes.

Sara was too horrified to scream. Sheer terror constricted her throat. 

"No!" cried Leon

The monster lifted Liu into the air then flung her aside like a rag doll. It hissed viciously then roared at Leon. He responded instantly with a volley of bullets until at last the hideous mutant went down, writhing and convulsing in its own blood. Everything then went deathly still.

Sara could only stare at the scene in shock. She shifted her gaze to Liu's mangled corpse then up at Leon whose eyes flashed stormily despite his composed appearance. Presently, compelled by pity and astonishment, Sara advanced toward Liu.

“Get back,” Leon ordered firmly. "Just keep trying the door."

Sara balked and looked back up at him inquiringly. He listed his head, eyes narrowed, guns trained on Liu's corpse. Sara bemusedly turned back to the Waste Disposal door, glancing at him over her shoulder in puzzlement. She froze as Liu’s body began wriggling and shuddering.

Black veins burst over Liu’s face and her eyelids flew open. She rolled onto her stomach, looking up at Leon and Sara out of raven-black eyes. Gurgling and moaning, she struggled to rise. Leon unflinchingly fired two bullets into her head. She sank back down to the floor, black eyes staring lifelessly.

Eyes wide as saucers, Sara stared at Leon speechlessly.

“Shit!” Leon whispered. He lowered his weapons. Fury and grief warred across his features. After hesitating for a moment, he approached the remains of his partner and began gleaning her gear. "I'm sorry," he murmured ruefully. 

Sara scanned the keycard again, trying to avert her eyes from the gruesome scene. Read error. She suppressed a screaming sigh.

A distant growl rumbled through the corridor. "Oh, shit. Now what?" Leon muttered.

Thunderous steps advanced, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. They smelled the creature before they saw it--the horrid stench of decaying flesh. It then bounded into view: a grotesquely disfigured doglike beast of colossal size. Thick, white saliva drooled from its mouth as it snarled at them, eyes glowing bloody red.

Leon faced the monster. "Any time now," he urged Sara, aiming his gun tensely.

Sara scanned the card once more, uttering a silent prayer. Access granted. "I got it!" she exclaimed as the lock disengaged.

The beast charged at them wildly. Leon grabbed Sara's arm and burst through the door, slamming it shut an instant before the creature barreled into it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Sara manage to escape CERBERUS 2.0 and find themselves trapped in the Waste Disposal room with some fierce company.

The door buckled dangerously as the monster rammed into it. Leon protectively pulled Sara back further. She stared at it apprehensively, half expecting the door to bust off its hinges, admitting the beast. But nothing happened. A low growl and heavy departing footfalls signified they were safe... for the time.

Leon expelled a relieved sigh. "I don't think that's the last we're gonna see of that thing."

The first wave of shock just beginning to wear off, Sara turned on Leon. "What the hell is going on?!"

He looked at Sara, his grave expression softening to sympathy. Leon shook his head. "There's no easy way to explain it," he muttered more to himself than to her. He was silent for a moment as though choosing his next words carefully. Presently, he spoke. "You and the others were all selected as subjects in a bioterrorist research project."

"Bioterrorist?" Sara exclaimed.

Leon nodded. "Are you familiar with Devon Ramsey, CEO of Eclipse Solutions Corp.?

Sara swallowed hard, trying to focus. "Uh, yeah. I've heard about him on the news. ESC's got a lot of pull in the medical sector. What's he got to do with this?"

"The DSO has uncovered secret information that he was once affiliated with an underground bioterrorist group responsible for researching and developing viral weaponry. They designed viruses that created bio organic weapons--B.O.W.s. These viruses genetically altered human beings and animals to become living weapons of mass destruction.  
"Ramsey was dismissed from that group, his whereabouts unknown for years until he reappeared at Eclipse. He purchased this old potter's field, Halcyon Isle, for his research activities. Apparently, he's picked up where he left off, and he's working on something called the Phanes Project. I don't know the exact nature of this project, but whatever it is, Ramsey is looking for a specific type of woman to make it work."

The room seemed to spin, and Sara struggled to breathe. Her vision dimmed, Leon's voice fading to a tinny murmur. Without warning, her knees gave way.

"Whoa!" Leon rushed to take hold of Sara who swayed dangerously on the verge of collapsing. He buoyed her up quickly and steadied her. "I've got you."

Sara clutched his strong arms involuntarily, inhaling deeply and trying to compose herself. She looked up into his face. He was observing her intently, and when their eyes met, he looked at her as though he had made an interesting discovery. Immediately self-conscious, Sara straightened herself up and politely but quickly extricated herself from his grasp. She hated feeling vulnerable and helpless.

"Thank you. I'm fine now," she said, trying to control her trembling voice. She avoided his attentive gaze, pursuing her dark train of thoughts. "God... this is surreal. Why me? Why any of us?"

Leon shook his head apologetically. "It was a matter of convenience," he said quietly. "You all had two things in common: you worked for companies owned or funded by Eclipse Solutions, and none of you had families to claim you."

The coldness of the latter fact penetrated Sara's heart like a steel pick. She smiled bitterly. "Well, that makes sense. Expendability tends to make one a perfect target."

"Hey. You are not expendable," Leon said firmly. "Your life matters. Like all the other women--like Agent Liu, you matter."

His adamant tone made Sara look up at him in surprise. She gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you... Leon."

Leon nodded at her in reply.

"Poor Agent Liu..." Sara whispered. "I'm so sorry about your partner. Were you close?"

"No; I hardly knew her. This was our first assignment together." He shook his head, his look sullen and distant. "As long as I've been doing this, it never gets any easier; losing your friends and colleagues like that." 

"You've dealt with this before?" Sara asked incredulously. 

"Yeah, it's been my job--my life--for a really long time."

Sara stared at him in amazement. "Dear God! How do you endure it?" she asked breathlessly. 

His reverie broke, and he looked up at her. He scoffed dryly. "I spend some off-duty time with Mr. Jack Daniel or John Walker," he replied.

His response was spoken so solemnly and nonchalantly that despite her horror, Sara couldn't suppress a soft chuckle. 

The corners of Leon's mouth turned up ever so slightly, but the halfhearted smile faded instantly. He proceeded to inspect his weapons and gear. After reloading his guns, he turned his attention to his comm device. "Damn it. No signal." He put one hand up to his earpiece. "Hunnigan, do you read me? Come in, Hunnigan." He sighed. "Looks like we're on our own, at least for now."

While Leon was thus occupied, Sara finally took in her surroundings and realized that they were in a control room with a large console designed to operate the waste chute and crane. A reinforced glass window overlooked the chute. Sara looked out at the crane and dumpsters below. "Uh, Leon, I don't see any exits down there," she said. 

Leon came up beside her. "Yeah, there is, but you're not gonna like it," he replied. 

Sara's eyes widened. "You don't mean--"

"Yep. Down that chute."

Sara's stomach lurched at the thought. She turned to Leon to protest and found him studying her thoughtfully. "What?"

Leon drew the gun that had been Liu's and extended it to her, grip first.

"What is this; what're you doing?" she asked, stepping back.

"I promise I will do everything in my power to protect you and get you home, but if we get separated or overwhelmed, I'd feel better if you could defend yourself."

Sara laughed mirthlessly and shook her head. "Wait. I don't know how to handle a gun! The closest I've come to shooting anything is playing video games!"

"Okay, well, let's chalk that up as simulation training," Leon answered.

Sara stared at him, wondering whether he was joking, but his expression, as he watched her from behind his golden brown locks, was earnest.

"Take it," he urged her. "It's not as hard as it seems. I'll show you."

Sara reluctantly took the gun, feeling its weight in her hands. She studied it briefly. "It's got a laser," she noted.

"Right. That'll take the guesswork out of aiming. Stand like this when you're ready to shoot." Leon pulled out one of his guns and took his stance: legs slightly apart, right foot a little behind the left, frame firm but relaxed, left hand supporting the right in which he held his gun.

Sara imitated him.

"Good, but a bit too tense. Ease up; bend your knees a little." Leon came up behind her and gently corrected the position of her arms and shoulders. Standing so close to him, his hands guiding her movements, Sara couldn't help the slight flutter that rose in her stomach. She brushed the thought aside and focused on his instruction. 

Leon stepped back and nodded approvingly. He went on to show her how to work the laser and eject and replace the expended magazine. Sara was a surprisingly apt pupil.

"If I have to use this thing, I hope I can actually hit the target," she said nervously.

"Just remember what I showed you, and you'll be okay. But I really only want you using it in an emergency," Leon said. He handed Sara an extra magazine and the ear mount flashlight that had also belonged to Liu.

Sara took the items gingerly, thinking how the original owner had been alive only minutes before. She quietly pocketed the magazine and carefully equipped the light, feeling awkward and a little foolish. After all, she was no cop or agent. Leon, however, seemed satisfied.

"Okay. We'd better move out," he said. "Remember: stay close."

"Got it." Sara followed him through the waste management room. An iron door led them to a flight of steel stairs and down to the disposal chute.

The instant they entered the area, they were assaulted by the foul stench of decaying blood and flesh. Sara coughed and gagged violently. "Oh, God!" she exclaimed in a strangled voice. "What are they dumping in here?!"

Leon looked over the edge of the enormous chute grimly. "Failed experiments," he replied flatly. "They'll incinerate them later." He appeared unfazed by the horrid, deathly odor, but then, by his account, he was no stranger to the situation. He had likely developed a tolerance for it.

"We have to jump into that?" Sara shook her head. "I don't think I can do it."

Leon rolled up his sleeves to his wrists and took Sara's hand. "Don't overthink it," he said calmly. With that, he leaped into the chute, pulling Sara down with him, shouting all the way.

The landing was rough and unpleasant, barely cushioned by large black bags, the contents of which Sara didn't want to know. Leon quickly pulled her up and away from the pile of refuse.

"I can't believe you did that," she said testily.

"Just like a splinter: better to just rip it out and get it over with," Leon said, surveying the area.

Sara frowned slightly, but remained silent, stepping away quickly from the ghastly bundles.

Some yards away from the dump landing was a steel mesh door secured by a padlock. Leon quickly shot the lock off. Carefully, he opened the door and passed through, Sara following closely behind.

The next area was a large room full of debris piled up in corners, empty crates, battered fuel drums and loaded dumpsters. Flanked on the left was the trash incinerator. She caught sight of a wide steel door just ahead of them.

"That looks like it might be our exit... hopefully," she said.

Leon tried the knob. "Locked from the outside," he announced. "Fantastic."

Leon looked around then down at the door. "Door's got a pretty big grille," he mused. He bent to study it. "I think we've got a little stroke of luck here; it's loose. We should be able to crawl out of here. I think I can pull it out."

"Four hands are better than two," Sara remarked. "Let me help you."

Sara knelt beside him and they began tugging at the grille. They shook and pulled at it, but progress was frustratingly slow. A slight movement noted out of the corner of her eye halted Sara's efforts. She turned aside, her gaze fixed on the mound of bags.

Leon stopped and looked at her attentively. "What is it?"

"I could almost swear I saw something move over there," Sara said. 

Leon twisted around, scanning the mound carefully. "Maybe one of the bags fell over," he concluded. But his tone was uncertain. He returned his attention to the grille, brow furrowed. "Almost got it," he announced.

Still staring at the pile, Sara rejoined his efforts. With a few more pulls, they succeeded in detaching the grille. "Got it!" Leon declared triumphantly.

As they laid the grille aside, Sara's sharp ears heard the soft rustle of plastic. She quickly turned to look. A body-sized bag rolled down to the open mesh door.

"Leon!" Sara called warningly.

But Leon was already on the alert. He stood beside her, submachine gun in hand.

The sack writhed and thrashed, and suddenly a long, clawed hand slashed through the tough plastic as though it were mere tissue paper. Having breached its slight prison, the creature within burst free and stood before Sara and Leon in all its hideousness.

The creature's sinews were fully exposed, blood and slime oozing down its neck and chest while a gaping hole in its abdomen bleed black fluid. A fold of flesh covered the left eye while the right eye had enlarged to the size of a tennis ball. It turned that single eye, yellow and without pupil, on Sara and Leon.

"Sara, get out!" Leon ordered.

Sara didn't hesitate, she immediately began pushing herself through the door as Leon opened fire. She wriggled her way out and turned back to look through the opening. The sight made her blood run cold.

The ammunition in the submachine gun was spent. Leon tossed the weapon aside and drew the shotgun. But the discarded B.O.W. had other plans. Its mouth gyrated and a thick scarlet tongue shot out knocking him off his feet. He fell with a grunt, the shotgun sliding a foot away from him.

"Oh, God... Leon!" Sara watched in horror as the creature's arms extended to an impossible length, seizing Leon in a deadly grip that she was certain would shatter his ribs.

Leon struggled, legs kicking desperately. That scene was all too familiar, having ended with Agent Liu's demise. Sara's heart sank, but to her utter relief, as the creature lifted Leon higher, he managed a hard kick to its sternum.

The B.O.W. growled and stumbled, its grip slackening. The respite was brief, but Leon quickly followed up his first kick with another, harder one aimed at the creature's face. It released him at last, and he reeled backward, miraculously managing to maintain his footing. He made a mad dash for the shotgun and headed for the door where Sara knelt, silently willing him to hurry though she knew he could scarcely move faster.

Leon tossed the shotgun through and began burrowing his way out. Considerably taller and broader than Sara, he strained to squirm through. As his torso came free, Sara impulsively snatched his hands and, with some difficulty, pulled him onto the floor. The instant Leon was through, the B.O.W.'S arm shot out, groping for its target.

Leon scrambled to his feet and grabbed the shotgun. He retreated a few steps, shielding Sara with his body. "Move back!" he said.

Sara scurried backward. She gasped in terror as the monster squeezed itself through the door like gelatin. "Oh, God!"

Leon fired a shot at the creature. It howled with rage, its foul blood splattering across the floor, but it reared its head and pounced. Leon shoved Sara back, receiving the brunt of the monster's attack. Again his weapon was knocked clean out of his hands. He wrestled with the snarling, snapping B.O.W., bracing his arm against its throat, throttling it in an effort to keep its vile tongue and teeth away from him.

For a heartstopping moment, Sara stood transfixed with horror at the scene unfolding before her. The images of the mutated prisoner and Agent Liu flashed before her. Her adrenaline spiked. She wasn't about to stand still and watch Leon die. She couldn't witness that again. 

Before she realized what she was doing, she raised her gun. "Let him go!" she shouted. Sara pulled the trigger. The recoil stunned her briefly, and the shot was errant. Growling, she corrected her stance and aimed again. This time the laser beam landed squarely on the creature's head. Sara fired immediately 

The bullet struck its target, piercing the fleshy fold that covered one of the B.O.W.'s eyes. It gave a bloodcurdling shriek and reared back away from Leon, who seized the moment to roll out from under it and make a desperate rush for the shotgun. Infuriated and slick with its own blood, the B.O.W. lashed its tongue out toward Leon once more.

Leon ducked and seized the shotgun. He swung it about swiftly and pulled the trigger just as the creature leaped at him again. The shot rang out, and the next instant, the monster's head exploded in a rain of blood and yellow fluid. The body thudded to the floor, blood gushing from the stump of its neck.

Leon knelt on the floor, breathing heavily as he recovered and wiped the spatters of the creature's blood off his face. Sara stood transfixed, gun still upraised, her eyes wide and staring at the horrendous carcass before her. Her heart thudded in her chest and her hands trembled as her adrenaline subsided. Sara scarcely noticed that Leon had risen and now stood beside her. 

"Sara."

She started though he had spoken softly. 

Leon gently pushed her hands down to lower her weapon. She broke her stance and turned to him. His sedate expression brought her to herself. "It looked like an emergency," she said unsteadily.

Leon smiled at that. "You just saved my life. Thanks," he said, sincere gratitude sweetening his deep tone. "Now, let's get the hell out of here before we encounter any more surprises."

"I'm for that," Sara agreed.

They hurried on, but Sara couldn't help casting one final glance at the gory scene they left behind.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Sara escape the horrible CERBERUS 2.0 and find a hidden lab full of vital information and shattering news for Sara.

The door buckled dangerously as the monster rammed into it. Leon protectively pulled Sara back further. She stared at it apprehensively, half expecting the door to bust off its hinges, admitting the beast. But nothing happened. A low growl and heavy departing footfalls signified they were safe... for the time.

Leon expelled a relieved sigh. "I don't think that's the last we're gonna see of that thing."

The first wave of shock just beginning to wear off, Sara turned on Leon. "What the hell is going on?!"

He looked at Sara, his grave expression softening to sympathy. Leon shook his head. "There's no easy way to explain it," he muttered more to himself than to her. He was silent for a moment as though choosing his next words carefully. Presently, he spoke. "You and the others were all selected as subjects in a bioterrorist research project."

"Bioterrorist?" Sara exclaimed.

Leon nodded. "Are you familiar with Devon Ramsey, CEO of Eclipse Solutions Corp.?

Sara swallowed hard, trying to focus. "Uh, yeah. I've heard about him on the news. ESC's got a lot of pull in the medical sector. What's he got to do with this?"

"The DSO has uncovered secret information that he was once affiliated with an underground bioterrorist group responsible for researching and developing viral weaponry. They designed viruses that created bio organic weapons--B.O.W.s. These viruses genetically altered human beings and animals to become living weapons of mass destruction.  
"Ramsey was dismissed from that group, his whereabouts unknown for years until he reappeared at Eclipse. He purchased this old potter's field, Halcyon Isle, for his research activities. Apparently, he's picked up where he left off, and he's working on something called the Phanes Project. I don't know the exact nature of this project, but whatever it is, Ramsey is looking for a specific type of woman to make it work."

The room seemed to spin, and Sara struggled to breathe. Her vision dimmed, Leon's voice fading to a tinny murmur. Without warning, her knees gave way.

"Whoa!" Leon rushed to take hold of Sara who swayed dangerously on the verge of collapsing. He buoyed her up quickly and steadied her. "I've got you."

Sara clutched his strong arms involuntarily, inhaling deeply and trying to compose herself. She looked up into his face. He was observing her intently, and when their eyes met, he looked at her as though he had made an interesting discovery. Immediately self-conscious, Sara straightened herself up and politely but quickly extricated herself from his grasp. She hated feeling vulnerable and helpless.

"Thank you. I'm fine now," she said, trying to control her trembling voice. She avoided his attentive gaze, pursuing her dark train of thoughts. "God... this is surreal. Why me? Why any of us?"

Leon shook his head apologetically. "It was a matter of convenience," he said quietly. "You all had two things in common: you worked for companies owned or funded by Eclipse Solutions, and none of you had families to claim you."

The coldness of the latter fact penetrated Sara's heart like a steel pick. She smiled bitterly. "Well, that makes sense. Expendability tends to make one a perfect target."

"Hey. You are not expendable," Leon said firmly. "Your life matters. Like all the other women--like Agent Liu, you matter."

His adamant tone made Sara look up at him in surprise. She gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you... Leon."

Leon nodded at her in reply.

"Poor Agent Liu..." Sara whispered. "I'm so sorry about your partner. Were you close?"

"No; I hardly knew her. This was our first assignment together." He shook his head, his look sullen and distant. "As long as I've been doing this, it never gets any easier; losing your friends and colleagues like that." 

"You've dealt with this before?" Sara asked incredulously. 

"Yeah, it's been my job--my life--for a really long time."

Sara stared at him in amazement. "Dear God! How do you endure it?" she asked breathlessly. 

His reverie broke, and he looked up at her. He scoffed dryly. "I spend some off-duty time with Mr. Jack Daniel or John Walker," he replied.

His response was spoken so solemnly and nonchalantly that despite her horror, Sara couldn't suppress a soft chuckle. 

The corners of Leon's mouth turned up ever so slightly, but the halfhearted smile faded instantly. He proceeded to inspect his weapons and gear. After reloading his guns, he turned his attention to his comm device. "Damn it. No signal." He put one hand up to his earpiece. "Hunnigan, do you read me? Come in, Hunnigan." He sighed. "Looks like we're on our own, at least for now."

While Leon was thus occupied, Sara finally took in her surroundings and realized that they were in a control room with a large console designed to operate the waste chute and crane. A reinforced glass window overlooked the chute. Sara looked out at the crane and dumpsters below. "Uh, Leon, I don't see any exits down there," she said. 

Leon came up beside her. "Yeah, there is, but you're not gonna like it," he replied. 

Sara's eyes widened. "You don't mean--"

"Yep. Down that chute."

Sara's stomach lurched at the thought. She turned to Leon to protest and found him studying her thoughtfully. "What?"

Leon drew the gun that had been Liu's and extended it to her, grip first.

"What is this; what're you doing?" she asked, stepping back.

"I promise I will do everything in my power to protect you and get you home, but if we get separated or overwhelmed, I'd feel better if you could defend yourself."

Sara laughed mirthlessly and shook her head. "Wait. I don't know how to handle a gun! The closest I've come to shooting anything is playing video games!"

"Okay, well, let's chalk that up as simulation training," Leon answered.

Sara stared at him, wondering whether he was joking, but his expression, as he watched her from behind his golden brown locks, was earnest.

"Take it," he urged her. "It's not as hard as it seems. I'll show you."

Sara reluctantly took the gun, feeling its weight in her hands. She studied it briefly. "It's got a laser," she noted.

"Right. That'll take the guesswork out of aiming. Stand like this when you're ready to shoot." Leon pulled out one of his guns and took his stance: legs slightly apart, right foot a little behind the left, frame firm but relaxed, left hand supporting the right in which he held his gun.

Sara imitated him.

"Good, but a bit too tense. Ease up; bend your knees a little." Leon came up behind her and gently corrected the position of her arms and shoulders. Standing so close to him, his hands guiding her movements, Sara couldn't help the slight flutter that rose in her stomach. She brushed the thought aside and focused on his instruction. 

Leon stepped back and nodded approvingly. He went on to show her how to work the laser and eject and replace the expended magazine. Sara was a surprisingly apt pupil.

"If I have to use this thing, I hope I can actually hit the target," she said nervously.

"Just remember what I showed you, and you'll be okay. But I really only want you using it in an emergency," Leon said. He handed Sara an extra magazine and the ear mount flashlight that had also belonged to Liu.

Sara took the items gingerly, thinking how the original owner had been alive only minutes before. She quietly pocketed the magazine and carefully equipped the light, feeling awkward and a little foolish. After all, she was no cop or agent. Leon, however, seemed satisfied.

"Okay. We'd better move out," he said. "Remember: stay close."

"Got it." Sara followed him through the waste management room. An iron door led them to a flight of steel stairs and down to the disposal chute.

The instant they entered the area, they were assaulted by the foul stench of decaying blood and flesh. Sara coughed and gagged violently. "Oh, God!" she exclaimed in a strangled voice. "What are they dumping in here?!"

Leon looked over the edge of the enormous chute grimly. "Failed experiments," he replied flatly. "They'll incinerate them later." He appeared unfazed by the horrid, deathly odor, but then, by his account, he was no stranger to the situation. He had likely developed a tolerance for it.

"We have to jump into that?" Sara shook her head. "I don't think I can do it."

Leon rolled up his sleeves to his wrists and took Sara's hand. "Don't overthink it," he said calmly. With that, he leaped into the chute, pulling Sara down with him, shouting all the way.

The landing was rough and unpleasant, barely cushioned by large black bags, the contents of which Sara didn't want to know. Leon quickly pulled her up and away from the pile of refuse.

"I can't believe you did that," she said testily.

"Just like a splinter: better to just rip it out and get it over with," Leon said, surveying the area.

Sara frowned slightly, but remained silent, stepping away quickly from the ghastly bundles.

Some yards away from the dump landing was a steel mesh door secured by a padlock. Leon quickly shot the lock off. Carefully, he opened the door and passed through, Sara following closely behind.

The next area was a large room full of debris piled up in corners, empty crates, battered fuel drums and loaded dumpsters. Flanked on the left was the trash incinerator. She caught sight of a wide steel door just ahead of them.

"That looks like it might be our exit... hopefully," she said.

Leon tried the knob. "Locked from the outside," he announced. "Fantastic."

Leon looked around then down at the door. "Door's got a pretty big grille," he mused. He bent to study it. "I think we've got a little stroke of luck here; it's loose. We should be able to crawl out of here. I think I can pull it out."

"Four hands are better than two," Sara remarked. "Let me help you."

Sara knelt beside him and they began tugging at the grille. They shook and pulled at it, but progress was frustratingly slow. A slight movement noted out of the corner of her eye halted Sara's efforts. She turned aside, her gaze fixed on the mound of bags.

Leon stopped and looked at her attentively. "What is it?"

"I could almost swear I saw something move over there," Sara said. 

Leon twisted around, scanning the mound carefully. "Maybe one of the bags fell over," he concluded. But his tone was uncertain. He returned his attention to the grille, brow furrowed. "Almost got it," he announced.

Still staring at the pile, Sara rejoined his efforts. With a few more pulls, they succeeded in detaching the grille. "Got it!" Leon declared triumphantly.

As they laid the grille aside, Sara's sharp ears heard the soft rustle of plastic. She quickly turned to look. A body-sized bag rolled down to the open mesh door.

"Leon!" Sara called warningly.

But Leon was already on the alert. He stood beside her, submachine gun in hand.

The sack writhed and thrashed, and suddenly a long, clawed hand slashed through the tough plastic as though it were mere tissue paper. Having breached its slight prison, the creature within burst free and stood before Sara and Leon in all its hideousness.

The creature's sinews were fully exposed, blood and slime oozing down its neck and chest while a gaping hole in its abdomen bleed black fluid. A fold of flesh covered the left eye while the right eye had enlarged to the size of a tennis ball. It turned that single eye, yellow and without pupil, on Sara and Leon.

"Sara, get out!" Leon ordered.

Sara didn't hesitate, she immediately began pushing herself through the door as Leon opened fire. She wriggled her way out and turned back to look through the opening. The sight made her blood run cold.

The ammunition in the submachine gun was spent. Leon tossed the weapon aside and drew the shotgun. But the discarded B.O.W. had other plans. Its mouth gyrated and a thick scarlet tongue shot out knocking him off his feet. He fell with a grunt, the shotgun sliding a foot away from him.

"Oh, God... Leon!" Sara watched in horror as the creature's arms extended to an impossible length, seizing Leon in a deadly grip that she was certain would shatter his ribs.

Leon struggled, legs kicking desperately. That scene was all too familiar, having ended with Agent Liu's demise. Sara's heart sank, but to her utter relief, as the creature lifted Leon higher, he managed a hard kick to its sternum.

The B.O.W. growled and stumbled, its grip slackening. The respite was brief, but Leon quickly followed up his first kick with another, harder one aimed at the creature's face. It released him at last, and he reeled backward, miraculously managing to maintain his footing. He made a mad dash for the shotgun and headed for the door where Sara knelt, silently willing him to hurry though she knew he could scarcely move faster.

Leon tossed the shotgun through and began burrowing his way out. Considerably taller and broader than Sara, he strained to squirm through. As his torso came free, Sara impulsively snatched his hands and, with some difficulty, pulled him onto the floor. The instant Leon was through, the B.O.W.'S arm shot out, groping for its target.

Leon scrambled to his feet and grabbed the shotgun. He retreated a few steps, shielding Sara with his body. "Move back!" he said.

Sara scurried backward. She gasped in terror as the monster squeezed itself through the door like gelatin. "Oh, God!"

Leon fired a shot at the creature. It howled with rage, its foul blood splattering across the floor, but it reared its head and pounced. Leon shoved Sara back, receiving the brunt of the monster's attack. Again his weapon was knocked clean out of his hands. He wrestled with the snarling, snapping B.O.W., bracing his arm against its throat, throttling it in an effort to keep its vile tongue and teeth away from him.

For a heartstopping moment, Sara stood transfixed with horror at the scene unfolding before her. The images of the mutated prisoner and Agent Liu flashed before her. Her adrenaline spiked. She wasn't about to stand still and watch Leon die. She couldn't witness that again. 

Before she realized what she was doing, she raised her gun. "Let him go!" she shouted. Sara pulled the trigger. The recoil stunned her briefly, and the shot was errant. Growling, she corrected her stance and aimed again. This time the laser beam landed squarely on the creature's head. Sara fired immediately 

The bullet struck its target, piercing the fleshy fold that covered one of the B.O.W.'s eyes. It gave a bloodcurdling shriek and reared back away from Leon, who seized the moment to roll out from under it and make a desperate rush for the shotgun. Infuriated and slick with its own blood, the B.O.W. lashed its tongue out toward Leon once more.

Leon ducked and seized the shotgun. He swung it about swiftly and pulled the trigger just as the creature leaped at him again. The shot rang out, and the next instant, the monster's head exploded in a rain of blood and yellow fluid. The body thudded to the floor, blood gushing from the stump of its neck.

Leon knelt on the floor, breathing heavily as he recovered and wiped the spatters of the creature's blood off his face. Sara stood transfixed, gun still upraised, her eyes wide and staring at the horrendous carcass before her. Her heart thudded in her chest and her hands trembled as her adrenaline subsided. Sara scarcely noticed that Leon had risen and now stood beside her. 

"Sara."

She started though he had spoken softly. 

Leon gently pushed her hands down to lower her weapon. She broke her stance and turned to him. His sedate expression brought her to herself. "It looked like an emergency," she said unsteadily.

Leon smiled at that. "You just saved my life. Thanks," he said, sincere gratitude sweetening his deep tone. "Now, let's get the hell out of here before we encounter any more surprises."

"I'm for that," Sara agreed.

They hurried on, but Sara couldn't help casting one final glance at the gory scene they left behind.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After learning that Sara is the candidate for the Omega Virus, she and Leon are attacked by Dr. Grey and his mercenary soldiers.

Leon shook his head. "No. You haven't been infected yet. They needed to verify the fusion first." He skimmed through the formulae and data for the Omega Virus. He understood little of it, but one word stood out to him: vaccine. Leon rushed through the notes.

"Ramsey was smart enough to plan ahead in case his project failed. He created a vaccine to neutralize the virus." Leon quickly drew a flash memory card from his pack and inserted it into the computer initiating a file copy. "I'm getting this info to the DSO. With this, we can dismantle Eclipse."

Sara sat rigidly, her mouth set grimly. Leon gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sara, we are getting out of here."

Sara nodded slowly, averting his gaze. 

While the files downloaded, Leon sifted through the other files. A folder labeled CERBERUS MM caught his eye. He opened the file. Its contents were disconcerting. “Ah, hell.”

Sara glanced at the screen, eyes going wide. "You’ve gotta be kidding me,” she muttered.

The image of the hound-like creature that had pursued them to the Waste Disposal Area was displayed on the monitor. "Fantastic. A supersized version of CERBERUS," Leon said dryly.

"You're familiar with that thing?" asked Sara.

"Yeah; smaller, equally vicious versions of that big pain in the ass."

Suddenly, the lights dimmed and a loud click was heard from the hidden door of the laboratory. Leon and Sara exchanged apprehensive glances. On the computer screen flashed the words “Lockdown on Area C. Access denied”. Fortunately, behind the threatening message, a dialog box had popped up indicating that the file copy was complete.

"We’re trapped,” Sara fretted.

Leon quickly removed the memory card and stored it. He rose immediately, assessing the room. There was only one way in or out. Leon’s searching gaze fell on the mobile bookshelf by the door. “Sara, help me push this thing over. We can block the entrance; it’ll buy us some time.”

Sara rushed up beside him and began hastily flinging out binders to lighten the weight. Heaving and grunting, they managed to push the large unit over. It fell against a tall cabinet at an awkward angle, partially obstructing the lab entrance. Leon grabbed hold of Sara’s hand and pulled her down with him behind a lab cart. Just as they had ducked out of sight, the sound of rushing footsteps echoed down the corridor. Then the door clicked and slid open.

Various weapons were cocked, signifying a sizable group of soldiers ready to fire. Leon drew his own guns, rapidly trying to fabricate an exit strategy. Behind him, he felt Sara stiffen with dread.

A cold voice broke through the tension. “Hold your fire,” it said. Leon immediately recognized it as the man who had spoken to them through the speakers near the Waste Disposal Area.

“You know, you’ve been much more trouble to me than you're worth,” the man said.

“Yeah, I get that a lot. Dr. Grey, I presume?” Leon answered, trying to peer out from behind the cart unseen.

“Well, well. It seems you have me at a disadvantage: you know my name, but I don’t know yours,” Grey replied.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“It doesn’t matter; 'Agent' will do. Now, Agent, the girl is very important to me, so I’m going to make a deal with you. Send her over to me now, and I’ll make sure you get a quick, painless death,” Grey said.

Leon’s eyes narrowed. “Tempting as that sounds, I'm gonna have to pass,” he answered. "You're not turning her into a freak for Devon Ramsey's sideshow here."

Leon managed a quick look and saw the uniformed legs of several soldiers. How many soldiers did Ramsey have on that small island?

"You're well-informed, Agent. But you can't see the big, brilliant picture. Mr. Ramsey is going to create a new world--purge it of the weak and the craven to unite it under a banner of power and order. And in such a world, there is no room for those who suffer from lack of vision. Like yourself," Grey proclaimed. 

"I don't need vision to know what a world of infected looks like. I already caught the sneak preview of that show." 

Leon felt Sara touch his arm lightly. He glanced over his shoulder at her. She pointed silently up and across the room. He looked up and saw a ceiling access door. It was their shot at escape! He bobbed his head in acknowledgement.

"Agent, you and I both know you haven't got a prayer to get out of this alive. Make things easier for us all and just give me the girl. The odds are stacked against you," Grey said languidly.

"I don't deal in odds," Leon replied staunchly.

"Aha. So you want to play the hero. Suit yourself, then. I've had enough of this chatter."

"Ain't thrilling me, either, buddy," Leon answered. His grip on his guns tightened as he prepared to strike out. It was anybody's guess how this would go down, but Leon was prepared to give them hell. He leaned out carefully, aiming for the exposed legs of the soldiers.

"Cover me!" Sara hissed suddenly.

"What?" Leon's eyes widened as Sara flashed past him, sprinting toward the ceiling access panel. "Sara, don't!" 

His shout was instantly drowned out in a storm of gunfire as the soldiers unleashed a volley of bullets. 

"Stop, you imbeciles! You'll kill the girl!" Grey shouted over the din.

Sara shrieked as shards of glass sprayed around her from the cabinets and jars, but she didn't check her speed.

Leon was on the move immediately. He leaped out from his hiding place, shooting as many of the feet and legs of the soldiers as he could before rolling to the far end of the room. Screams of rage and pain mingled with continued gunfire and shattering glass, the fragments of which nicked Leon's face and neck.

"Cease fire, damn it!" Grey thundered. "Move the shelf! Get that shit out of the way!" 

Leon sprang to his feet and dashed over to Sara who was briskly clearing off a lab cart, blood trickling from multiple cuts on her cheeks. She clumsily tried to climb atop the cart, slipping in her haste. Leon effortlessly lifted her onto it. He felt her body trembling in fear.

She turned to face him abruptly, her dark eyes wild, and thrust something into his hand before heaving herself up through the panel. He realized it was Grey's gun. Somewhat surprised, Leon shoved it into the waist of his pants.

Even as Sara disappeared from view, Leon heard the grunting of the soldiers as they worked to hoist the upset shelf away. A quick glance toward the door confirmed that they had nearly cleared the entrance. He needed to buy some time. Thinking quickly, he turned on his flashlight and shot out the lights. A wave of shouts and swearing broke forth as the room was plunged into darkness.

"Son of a bitch!" Grey roared. "They went through the ceiling! Foster: send out three teams, and search the facility. Shoot the agent on sight, but I need the girl alive!"

Leon hopped onto the cart and through the panel. He hated being hunted quarry; staying ahead of the game wasn't going to be easy. Balancing himself carefully on a beam, Leon sought his charge. Sara was less than a foot away from him, gripping the edges of an L-shaped intersection of beams. Her flashlight was on, casting strange shadows on her pallid face. She stared at Leon with the terrified look of a cornered rat.

"Where do we go now?" she queried in the ghost of a voice.

Leon exhaled with relief to see her. "Anywhere but here," he answered. "Keep quiet and follow me. Grey's got search parties sniffing for us like bloodhounds."

He began crawling forward carefully. Sara followed slowly and tremulously, teetering on the narrow beams as she progressed. Leon perceived her fear in her shallow, rapid breathing. "Stay calm; eyes on me," he whispered.

Sara grunted nervously in reply.

They crawled about for several minutes. Every now and then, voices barking out orders and reports could be heard as the soldiers hunted Leon and Sara. For a while, the haphazard trek was uneventful, Leon searching for a way back down into the facility.

At length, Leon discovered a hatch leading down. He reached out to try it when he heard a rabid snarl behind him, and a cry erupt from Sara. He craned his neck to look back. His stomach clenched as he saw an undead creature seize Sara's ankle.

"Shit!"

The zombie snapped and snarled as Sara struggled to kick it off. She fell off the beam onto the ceiling panel and the creature pounced upon her. There was no choice but to shoot the thing. Leon quickly fired a single shot at its head.

The zombie fell onto Sara who quickly kicked it away from her with a low whimper, brushing dirt and partially-congealed blood off her face with quivering hands.

"They must've heard that. We have to move!" Leon hissed to her.

Sara scrambled back onto the beam in panic, and they moved on ahead.

"Most people only have to worry about rats in the walls. Here you gotta worry about zombies, too. You okay?"

Before Sara could reply, several shots rang out, and she cried out shrilly in pain. Bullet holes perforated the panels, and it was all Leon could do to avoid getting hit. He felt the thin tiling begin to give way beneath him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Sara find themselves up against B.O.W.s programmed to terminate Leon and return Sara to Dr. Grey's clutches.

Leon clutched the beam in time to stop himself from crashing through the ruined ceiling. Wrapping his legs around it, he dangled from the beam, supporting himself with his left hand, gun ready in his right. Below him, a soldier peered up through the splintered tiling.

Before the soldier had a chance to react, Leon fired a perfect shot through his helmet visor. Two more soldiers came into view. Leon dropped down, landing on one of them. The second soldier swore foully as he struggled for a clean shot at Leon who was grappling with the first.

"Shoot him, damn it!" the first soldier shouted.

"I'm trying!"

The second soldier locked onto Leon and quickly pulled the trigger, but at that critical moment, Leon maneuvered his opponent into the soldier's line of fire. A series of shots rang out and the soldier went limp in Leon's grasp. Following up on his advantage, Leon shoved the dead man into the shooter, who reeled backward in surprise. While the soldier tried to untangle himself from his deceased comrade, Leon immediately fired two shots. Thus, the skirmish was over.

Seeing that the area was currently clear, Leon called up to Sara. There was no response. Leon’s brow furrowed with concern. “Sara, can you hear me?”

Then there was a loud crackling sound as the perforated ceiling crumbled and gave way. Leon looked up to see Sara dangling dangerously from the fissure. She appeared to be unconscious. The next moment, the tiling gave way, collapsing under Sara’s weight. Leon darted toward her, sliding across the floor in an effort to cushion her fall. He grunted loudly as she dropped onto him, her weight causing his sore muscles to scream in protest at the impact.

Sara moaned softly. Leon sighed with relief at the sound; she was alive. Quickly brushing debris from his face, he gently shifted Sara away from him and carefully laid her out on the floor. He looked her over, his grave gaze settling on her lower leg. A bullet had hit her just above her ankle. Fortunately, it was only a graze. Though the wound bled profusely, it didn't look serious.

Sara stirred and opened her eyes. She looked around her dazedly at the three dead soldiers before finally turning to Leon. “Wow. I missed a lot,” she said hoarsely. “I think I fainted. Sorry.”

“Don't be. That’s a bullet wound, not a papercut. I remember my first shot."

"Bet you didn't faint," Sara muttered.

Leon scoffed. "Sure I did. I've just developed a higher pain threshold since then. Luckily, this is just a graze. We’ve gotta get out of here before we get more company.” He put one of Sara’s arms around his neck, supporting her as he lifted her up.

Leon led Sara down yet another dim corridor, his eyes darting about warily. Sara leaned partially against him, making every effort to walk as quickly and independently as her wound permitted. Leon silently commended her for her grit.

They encountered no further resistance as they made their way through the shadowy halls. Presently, they came to a double door. Leon tried it; the knob turned easily. Leon carefully released Sara, gesturing to her to stand aside quietly. She nodded, and he cautiously opened the door, gun ready. A quick scan of the room revealed a storage closet filled with crates and bins. Satisfied that it was clear, he ushered Sara in and shut the door. 

"Damn. No lock. We'll have to keep a low profile.” Leon returned to Sara and helped her to walk to the furthest end of the room. Placing his hands on his hips, he stood analyzing Sara's wound. "I'd like to bandage that."

Sara leaned heavily against the wall. "With what?"

"The hem of your nightshirt would work," Leon replied.

Sara blushed. "Is that really necessary?"

"It'd be better to stanch the bleeding. The more blood you lose, the weaker you'll get. Plus you're leaving a pretty good trail."

Sara groaned slightly. She hesitated momentarily before finally nodding her consent.

Leon knelt before her and carefully began cutting a strip of fabric from her nightshirt with his knife. Sara stood rigidly while he worked, tension rolling off of her. Sensing her discomfiture, he tried to be quick. "Okay, this is good enough. Sit down so I can get this on you."

Clearly relieved, Sara complied, still looking uneasy. Leon proceeded to complete the bandaging. "That should do the trick. Too tight?"

Sara shook her head, eyes averted.

"Good." Leon gently turned her face toward him in order to assess her. He brushed her sable waves of hair aside and scrutinized her dark eyes. They were bright and alert. Though somewhat accelerated, her respiration was not erratic; she didn't seem likely to faint again. That was promising. Almost involuntarily, his gaze trailed down Sara's face, studying her plain but attractive features. He read a strong character in her firmly set mouth, and the slight upward curve on the end of her lips denoted a spirited nature. He found her amazingly alluring.

Realizing he had been looking a little too long, Leon returned his gaze to her eyes. He was surprised to find Sara observing him as deliberately and interestedly as he had been looking at her. The discovery was somehow pleasing. Sara instantly turned away sheepishly. Slightly amused, Leon recalled himself to the business at hand.

"You're holding up pretty good, but I want you to take a couple of these." Leon drew a small white container from his pack.

"What is that?" Sara asked, looking at the container warily. 

"Health tablets. They restore vitality and make partial tissue regeneration possible," he replied. He tapped two white tablets into her palm. "Chew," he instructed.

Sara obeyed. "Ugh! They're so bitter!"

Leon chuckled. "Yeah, they're kinda an acquired taste, but trust me, they work."

Silence fell between them as Leon waited for the tablets to take effect on Sara, and he deliberated on his next move.

"I do feel a little better. Thanks. But what about you?" Sara asked.

"The night's young; I have a feeling I'm gonna need 'em a lot more later on."

Sara's brow furrowed. "I hope not."

"Well, it's an occupational hazard." Leon sat down before her. "What you did back in the lab…"

Sara spread her hands. "I know. I just didn't think it through. My brain was screaming 'bad idea' the whole time, but I thought if I could distract them, you might be able to make a move."

Leon huffed. "In my experience, bad ideas are some of the most effective. I admit that took a lot of guts. But I am trying to get you home safely. Please be more careful."

Sara nodded.

"I have to say: I'm impressed."

Sara snorted. "Please. I was scared out of my wits."

"But you did it anyway. And thanks for the toy," Leon added, drawing the .45 and studying it briefly. 

"You can put it to better use than that bastard," Sara remarked.

"That's a promise." Leon returned the gun to its place. "I'd like to know about this Liam Grey. And I could use some directions here." He activated his earpiece. "Hunnigan, come in."

"I read you," Hunnigan replied. "What's your sitrep? Are you okay?"

"Sara took a hit, and we've got the heat turned up on us, but we're holding out."

"The wound's not serious, is it?"

"No; the tablets are helping. A little stroke of luck got me the files on Project Phanes," answered Leon.

"Wow! That was quick work. You'll be ready for evac, then," Hunnigan said, sounding surprised. 

"Not exactly. These guys are serious about not letting us off this island. I'm talking heavy military presence here; not just some muscle-heads with guns. Hopefully, my ammo will hold out."

Leon glanced at Sara who twitched nervously at those words. "I got a hold of the Phanes Project file and files on other bioorganic experiments being conducted by a Dr. Liam Grey. I'm sending you the Phanes files now. I need you to get me everything you can on this Grey; apparently, he's Ramsey's head scientist, but I have a feeling he's more than just a mad scientist on the payroll."

"Okay, got it. Good news: I've got eyes on you again."

"Hallelujah!" Leon exclaimed.

The sound of keys clacking followed. "I've also got a solution to your ammunition problem. Ramsey made provision for any unexpected interference; he built an armory. It's located on the northeast side of the facility you're in, accessible via a cargo elevator from the underground station you're in right now."

"An armory? Well, merry Christmas."

Hunnigan chuckled. "Now, you're going to need a quick way out of there to make it to the extraction point as soon as the chopper arrives. There's a garage accessible from a network of pedways. You can reach it from an alternate exit in the armory. From there you can grab a ride and head on to the tower. A causeway connects both parts of the island."

"Nice. Coordinates?"

"Already sent to your GPS device," Hunnigan declared.

"Hunnigan, you're the best," Leon proclaimed. 

"I try," she answered, a smile in her voice. "Keep me posted when you've got evac clearance so I can contact the BSAA unit for extraction."

"Copy that." Leon disconnected and turned to Sara. "You good to walk?"

"I can run the frickin' high hurdles if that's what it takes to get out of this hell," Sara responded.

A smile flickered over Leon's lips as he rose and helped Sara to her feet. "There's an armory not far from here. We'll head there, do a little hardware shopping, then we get over to the extraction point."

"Okay."

Cautiously, Leon stepped out of the room, Sara shadowing him at a safe distance. He kept his eyes open for danger while alternately checking his GPS. The trek was uneventful until they reached an intersection in the corridor. 

Footsteps could be heard followed by conversation. Leon looked around frantically, hoping to avoid a confrontation. His eye fell on a displaced grille leading to a duct. He quickly removed the grille and signaled to Sara to enter. 

Sara's mouth formed a grim line of dismay, but she knelt down and disappeared into the duct. Leon followed, crawling in backward and hastily replacing the grille. The soldiers paused momentarily in front of their hiding place. Leon gripped his gun, ready for attack if necessary. He sensed Sara holding her breath. After some low-voiced comments, the soldiers passed.

"What do we do?" whispered Sara. "They're all over!"

Leon checked his GPS. "Detour. If we move along this duct, we can keep out of sight and still get to the elevator."

Without replying, Sara began crawling forward, Leon behind her. They maintained perfect silence as they made their way through the duct.

Suddenly, a loose hatch gave way beneath Sara. She fell through with a cry of alarm. Leon scrambled forward and peered through the open hatch.

"Sara, are you okay?" he demanded.

Sara looked up at him from the crumpled heap she had landed in. "Yeah. I'm okay," she replied, her voice breathy. "Nothing seems to be broken."

Leon let himself drop, landing smoothly beside Sara. He was up in an instant, extending his hand to help her up. She took his hand, but she froze, eyes going wide. "Oh, my God…"

Leon followed her panicked gaze, pulling her up simultaneously. "You gotta be kidding me."

They stood in a room flanked with four large glass incubation tanks filled with transparent green liquid. Each tank held a female humanoid creature attached by various hoses in their backs and heads. They were nude, having the identical anatomy of human women, but their faces were another matter. Two deep indentations replaced their eyes, and their mouths stretched eerily from ear to ear in perpetual, hideous grins.

"What the hell are these things?" Sara asked, horrified.

"Hell if I know," Leon replied tersely.

Suddenly the sound of an electronic lock engaging echoed through the chamber. The dim lighting went red, and a loud buzzer went off.

"I don't like the sound of that," Leon remarked. He glanced across the room at the door. Beside it was a display panel reading LOCKDOWN in angry red letters. "I'm getting really sick of this lockdown shit," he muttered. 

"Hello again, Agent," Liam Grey's voice blared over unseen speakers.

Sara and Leon looked up and saw a dome security camera hidden in the upper corner near the ceiling.

"Congratulations! You managed to give my men the slip. But I've got something better in mind for you now."

"And I've got a bullet with your name on it. Why don't you come down and get it?" said Leon.

Grey laughed. "I'm too busy to play 'Cowboys and Indians' with you, hero-boy. I'll leave you to my lovely ladies."

There was another buzzing sound followed by electronic beeping and a hydraulic hiss. The tanks were being drained.

Sara gasped and shrank back as the creatures jerked slightly in their glass prisons.

"You don't need to be afraid, young lady. Your sisters aren't coming for you. It's your precious knight they want," Grey declared, amusement in his voice.

The hoses connecting the B.O.W.s to the tanks were detached.

"Behold the glory of science, Agent. Since I discovered Sara was a perfect fusion with the Omega Virus, I infused these ladies with a compound synthesized from her DNA. They will not attack her. You, however, my heroic friend, will be torn to shreds."

Leon clenched his jaw tightly as the hoses receded and the B.O.W.s were animated. The tanks opened with a hiss, and the creatures stepped out.

"Finish him and hold the girl." Grey laughed darkly. "I'll see you soon, princess."

The creatures turned on Leon and Sara, snarling, and began advancing on them menacingly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Sara escaped Grey's trap, but can they survive CERBERUS 2.0's fierce rampage?

Leon quickly drew his guns aiming at two of the B.O.W.s simultaneously and opened fire. The creatures howled in pain and fury, blood gushing from the wounds, but they charged forth ferociously.

"Stay back!" Leon shouted to Sara as he hurled himself out of the path of the pouncing monsters.

Sara squeezed herself into a corner, trying to stay out of the line of fire. 

Leon drew the submachine gun, spraying the nearest monster full across the chest until it was bathed in its own blood. The creature crumpled to the floor, writhing in death throes before finally going still. That left three more to go. And they weren't going to be easy.

The three made a peculiar hissing sound to each other, and one detached herself from the trio to advance on Sara. Leon tried to stop her, but the other creatures closed in. Behind him, Sara cried out but leaped out of the creature's reach.

Leon fired the submachine gun again, managing substantial damage to the second B.O.W. He turned swiftly on the third, but the rounds were exhausted. The trigger clicked uselessly. Tossing the weapon aside, Leon lunged out of reach as the unwounded monster swiped at him.

He rose on one knee, shotgun in hand, and loaded the last of the shells as rapidly as possible. As he cocked the weapon, three rapid gunshots rang out. Leon looked up to see Sara holding her smoking gun, eyes wide as saucers.

The monster bellowed furiously and dealt Sara a hard blow that sent her sprawling out on the floor, her gun flying out of her hand. The creature roared, blood dripping from her mouth as Sara scrambled away. 

Leon turned his weapon on the creature lurching toward Sara and fired two quick shots. The first penetrated her back, and the second her skull, exploding in a rain of blood. Leon then turned on the creature closest to him, but he didn't notice the other monster closing in on him. She hissed at her companion; another signal to round up Sara. She then seized Leon from behind, pulling his arms viciously and trying to sink her teeth into him.

Leon wrestled furiously against the creature, able at last to free himself and deal her a hard blow with his elbow, following up with a spinning kick. He brought up the shotgun and fired the last round into her chest. As she fell to her knees, Leon whirled around to face the third B.O.W. He was startled as he was suddenly lifted off the floor, his arms pinioned to his sides in the creature's painful grip. He was face to face with the hideous monster, straining yet again to free his arms. 

Leon's earpiece sounded, and Hunnigan's voice came through. "Leon, I've got that intel you wanted on Liam Grey."

"Really bad... time for a... dossier," Leon groaned.

Leon managed to pull his right arm from the monster's grasp whereupon he seized his knife and plunged it beneath her chin. She shrieked, releasing him as he wrenched the bloody knife from the gushing wound. 

"Leon, do you read me? Are you okay?" demanded Hunnigan.

Quickly activating his earpiece, Leon responded. "Gonna have to get back to you on that one. Hunnigan! You got eyes on me?"

"Of course."

"I need you to open the door--we're trapped!"

"Okay; I'll do what I can," Hunnigan replied shortly.

Leon headed for Sara who had started to her feet, trying to reload her gun dazedly. A wet tearing sound behind him arrested his attention. He turned to look. "Ah, shit…"

The B.O.W he had shot in the chest was mutating further, her flesh ripping open, exposing her spine, ribcage and half of her skull. Her misshapen fingers lengthened into black claws. She let out a deafening shriek that made Leon and Sara double over, ears ringing.

The monster Leon had stabbed through the head writhed on the floor, snarling and hissing. The newly mutated creature thrust her steely claws through her head, leaving her convulsing in a pool of blood. She turned on Leon who whipped out the. 45, ready to fire. Before he could take the shot, she swung violently at him. Leon bent backward to evade the slash, shooting wide and stumbling. The monster followed up with a backhanded swing as Leon straightened up. She clawed at his neck, raking open his skin.

Leon reeled backward, gasping in pain as the blood streamed down his neck. He backed away from the creature, trying to reestablish his aim. "Hunnigan! Now would be really good," he said hoarsely.

"Almost there," Hunnigan replied.

"Hey! Over here, you ugly sack of shit!" Sara suddenly shouted. She fired a barrage of bullets which barely punctured the monster's flesh; as effective as pellets. 

The creature shifted her attention to Sara, hissing. Sara exclaimed softly, retreating slowly from the approaching B.O.W.

"I've got it!" Hunnigan announced. 

There was a low buzz as the lock on the door released. "That's our cue!" Leon declared. He fired a shot, satisfied at the monster's thunderous roar as the bullet struck her shoulder, leaving a gaping hole. He made a beeline for Sara, seizing her arm and hauling her with him out of the room. The B.O.W. bellowed with rage and charged at them as he pulled the door shut.

"Lock it, Hunnigan! Now!" Leon exclaimed.

The lock beeped and reengaged, trapping the furious B.O.W. within. She howled and screeched as she tried to claw her way through the solid steel door.

Panting, Leon turned to Sara. "Okay?" he asked shortly.

Sara nodded, her eyes fixed on his bloody neck. "That looks bad," she said nervously. 

Leon reached up, brushing the torn skin with his fingertips. "It's not as bad as it looks," he assured her, though the wound bled profusely, his streaming sweat worsening the burning pain.

Sara looked unconvinced, but she made no further comment. Instead she looked up at him sheepishly. "I did it again: I acted without thinking in there; taunting the monster like that."

"Yeah, and I owe you another one," Leon replied.

Sara scoffed. "Good! Then you won't want to kill me yourself for my recklessness."

Leon smiled and shook his head. Her sense of humor complemented her courage. He liked her even more. "Let's move," he said.

Leon called on Hunnigan again. "Hey, thanks for the save back there, Hunnigan. Things got a little hairy. I'm ready for that bio now."

"Glad you're okay," she answered. "As for your new friend, Grey, you were right; he's not just your average lab nut. Liam Grey was a medic in the army. He was as brilliant in combat as he was in medicine. Grey was dishonorably discharged and imprisoned for doing experiments with dead and wounded soldiers. He 'mysteriously' disappeared from prison one night during a riot."

"Mysteriously, meaning paid out," Leon remarked.

"Further investigation into Halcyon Isle's personnel files shows that Grey is Ramsey's top research scientist. Ramsey is the mastermind and the purse, but apparently Grey's the real genius behind all this horror," Hunnigan continued.

Leon exhaled grimly. "Okay. Thanks for the info," he said. To Sara's inquiring gaze he explained, "I just got Grey's bio. The abridged version is: he's ex-military and considered extremely dangerous which I don't have to tell you."

Sara blanched. She quickened her pace, despite her slight limp.

They continued their journey to the cargo elevator, Leon periodically checking his GPS. "Almost there," he said. "A left and then a straight shot down that corridor. The elevator is right there."

A low, distant rumble made Leon halt. He signaled to Sara to stop. She froze, staring at him alertly.

A raspy growl rumbled again. Leon turned in the direction of the noise. He was dismayed to see the hulking form of a large creature with glowing red eyes emerging from the shadows just yards away from them.

"Oh, shit. CERBERUS!" he realized. "Run!"

Sara risked a glance and cried out in horror as she took off, her wounded leg hampering her speed.

Incensed by their sudden sprint, CERBERUS roared deafeningly and tore off after them.

Leon ran as quickly as he could, wishing he could gather Sara up to get to the elevator faster, but that wasn't an option. He glanced over his shoulder; the monster was gaining on them. Leon snatched Sara's hand, dragging her along with him. He cringed inwardly at the low cry of strain she uttered as she struggled to match his pace. 

CERBERUS increased its speed, its bounding steps causing the floor to tremble beneath them. Leon tuned everything out, focusing solely on the elevator just feet away from them. "Almost there, Sara, just a little further."

CERBERUS roared and swiped at them with a long, grotesquely clawed paw as it trailed them. Leon managed to evade it, but it caught Sara, striking her across the back and tearing her out of his grip as the blow catapulted her forward.

"Sara!" Pure adrenaline gave Leon a burst of speed and he dashed after Sara, her prone, motionless form sprawled out a foot away from him.

CERBERUS galloped on. Turning swiftly, the .45 in hand, Leon fired twice at the monster's chest even as it lunged forward. The high caliber shots caused it to check its speed, letting out an uncanny whimper.

Leon scooped Sara up and made for the elevator, taking advantage of CERBERUS' momentary slowdown. Draping her over his shoulder, he pounded on the call button. "C'mon, c'mon!" he pleaded as the gears rumbled and shifted.

CERBERUS recovered quickly and resumed its headlong rush at Leon. He fired twice more, but the creature seemed more determined than before. Its blood sprayed the walls, but it came on, undaunted. Leon's heart raced as he watched its unchecked speed. In quiet desperation, he shot two more rounds at CERBERUS' right leg.

With a bellow of agony, the monster halted and fell forward, rolling onto its side. Leon lowered his weapon in dubious triumph, certain he had done little more than slow the creature down. Behind him the elevator buzzed loudly and the door began to rise. Quickly, Leon took hold of Sara and boarded the elevator.

As he punched the button, Leon's eyes locked onto the monster. It lay on its side, seething with hatred, its glowing eyes glaring at him. CERBERUS rose on its haunches and swung its tail forward. Leon's eyes went wide when he saw that the tail was covered with spikes. CERBERUS lashed its tail like a whip, flinging the spikes at Leon as a porcupine would its quills.

Instinctively, Leon flung himself over Sara, shielding her with his body. The spikes scattered, embedding themselves into the walls and the elevator door with one spike impaling Leon's right flank. A single cry of pain tore from his throat as the door finally sealed the elevator and it began its ascent.

Leon slowly laid Sara down, groaning deeply as the bony spike seemed to burrow further into his flesh with every movement. He knelt beside her, craning his neck to study the wound. The spike was about three inches long and sharp as a stiletto knife. Working to control his breathing, Leon gripped the spike. Steeling himself for the pain, he plucked it out, grunting loudly as the spike dislodged, followed by a hot stream of blood.

"Leon…" Sara's voice was feeble. 

Leon looked down at her. Her eyes were barely open, but she was staring at the spike he still held. She turned her gaze up to the bleeding wound. "No…"

Leon tossed the spike aside and leaned toward her, wincing as he did so. "We're almost there. We're gonna make it."

Sara's eyes closed again. Leon brushed her hair away from her face; a thin trickle of blood ran down her left cheek from a gash on her head. It didn't seem severe, however. With some effort, he turned her over to check her back where CERBERUS had struck her. The back of his jacket had been torn by the massive claw, but he was relieved to see that Sara had suffered no injuries.

The elevator halted abruptly and the door lifted. Leon forced himself to rise, drawing his handguns and stepping protectively in front of Sara. The area was clear and silent. A dim corridor stretched ahead leading to an enormous door with prominent signage reading "Armory".

Satisfied that the way was clear, Leon gathered Sara up in his arms. He grunted and groaned, staggering as the exertion aggravated his wounds. Cold sweat poured down his face, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

He lurched toward the door where he set Sara down and called Hunnigan. "We made it to the armory," he reported huskily.

"Leon, what happened? You don't sound good," Hunnigan noted.

"Been playing with my new friend. Damn thing makes Cujo look like Lassie," he panted. 

"A dog?"

"Of sorts. We took a couple of hits, but we'll live. Can you open the door?"

"Of course. Just give me a second here." The clacking of keys followed, then the sound of the lock disengaging.

The door slid open, admitting Leon. He took hold of Sara and entered. "Thanks, Hunnigan. I'll be in touch."

"Be careful," she replied. 

"Yeah; that's my life's motto," Leon disconnected, and as gently as he could manage, he sat Sara up against the corner wall. The door shut behind him, and he sank to the floor, grateful for the respite.

He tended to Sara who sat pale and dazed. "Sara? Can you hear me?"

Sara's eyelids fluttered. "Yes."

"Good. We made it, Sara. We're halfway out of here. Just gotta hold out a little longer."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of CERBERUS' attack, Leon and Sara continue to plan for their escape, but Grey isn't taking it lying down.

Leon's words and soft tone would have been soothing to Sara, but the sight of his wounds and the terrifying image of CERBERUS were branded into her mind. She opened her eyes wide and found herself looking into Leon's face.

His countenance was a mask of pain covered with a sheen of sweat. He was breathing laboriously as he watched her, but his deep, silvery blue eyes were sharp as ever, almost glowing from beneath the shadows cast by his hair like an evening thunderhead cloud. "How do you feel?"

Her head throbbed, the bullet graze still burned, and her entire body ached fiercely. Her eyes ran over his bleeding neck and the ever-widening bloodstain spreading over his flank. "Not good, but not as bad as you must feel."

Leon exhaled in a way that was almost a laugh. He produced his tablet case. "Take a couple more of these."

Sara's brow furrowed with anxiety for Leon. "I'm worried about you," she said, looking pointedly at his bleeding flank. "You need them more than I do."

Leon listed his head. "Thanks, Sara," he said. "But you are my responsibility. You take priority."

Without further parley, Sara accepted two tablets, chewing as quickly as possible to get past their chalky bitterness.

Satisfied, Leon tapped five into his palm and popped them into his mouth. He rose awkwardly and moved beside her, sliding down the wall with a soft grunt. Sara watched him reload and replace his handguns, his expression drawn tightly in pained severity. He checked the .45, huffing with displeasure as he emptied the chamber full of casings. Clutching the gun, he draped his arm over his knee. He leaned his head against the wall and shut his eyes, wincing occasionally.

Sara rested her own head against the wall, welcoming the relief the tablets were gradually providing. She eyed Leon surreptitiously. Perhaps it was strange to describe a bloodied, begrimed man as beautiful, but it was the word that came to mind as she studied him. She had never met such a kind, courageous, determined man. His innate valor and strength radiated from him so intensely that Sara could almost put blind faith in him. Almost.

Her concern for him was somewhat allayed when she saw his handsome features relax, his breathing becoming once again steady and regular. He sat silently, remaining perfectly still except for his finger occasionally tapping the gun's trigger guard.

"Thank you," Sara said. Her voice seemed loud in the heavy silence of the room.

Leon turned his head to look at her. "Don't thank me yet. I still have to get you off this godforsaken island," he replied.

A tendril of doubt snaked its way into Sara's heart, but she squelched it, turning her attention to the incredible armory they now took refuge in. She was impressed by the racks of large firearms lining the walls along with cases bearing grenades, ammunition, and even body armor.

"Ramsey's got a hell of a collection in here," she remarked.

"Yeah; and we're gonna use it to our advantage," Leon replied. "Gonna get you back where you belong."

Sara was silent for a moment. She glanced over at him. His eyes were closed again. "You're not what I expected from an agent," she said at length.

"No? What did you expect?"

Sara shrugged. "I don't know. Not someone who really... cared. It's like it's more than just a job for you."

Leon straightened up, opening his eyes and fixing them on her. "It's way more than just a job; it's personal." His voice was low, but his eyes blazed. 

"How did you get into this life?" Sara asked.

Leon scoffed. "Sure as hell wasn't my childhood dream," he responded. He fell silent for so long, Sara expected no further reply. She started when he suddenly spoke again, shifting to face her. 

"As a kid, I thought a lot about the kind of man I'd become. I never imagined this is where I would be." Leon shook his head and sighed. "Like most kids, I played around with a lot of career ideas. I finally settled on becoming a cop: Leon Scott Kennedy, officer of the Raccoon Police Department, duty-bound to protect and serve."

Sara's brows shot up. "You're a survivor of the Raccoon City disaster?!" she gasped. "Oh, my God... I remember that. A fatal, incurable epidemic broke out. Survivors had to be evacuated, and the city had to be destroyed to stop the disease from spreading."

Leon chuckled dryly. "That's the bedtime story version of it. The truth is much darker."

Sara's eyes widened. "A coverup?"

Leon inclined his head.

"Let me guess: hide the truth, spare the public fear and panic, right?" Sara asked sarcastically. 

Leon's mouth twisted wryly. "Partly. But it wasn't all 'altruism'."

Sara cocked her head at him. "So what really did happen? Or shouldn't you tell me?"

"You're neck deep in this shit. Why shouldn't you know the truth?" Leon answered, shrugging lightly.

His eyes took on a haunted look as he retreated into dark memories. "I was a rookie on the force. My first official day was delayed by a notice telling me to stay away from the city. I finally got suspicious that something was seriously wrong, so I went in anyway. What I found was hell on Earth.

"The citizens had become infected by a virus that turned them into flesh-eating zombies. The living became the undead and the dead rose again, marching in growing numbers to prey on the remaining living. Huge B.O.W.s like CERBERUS lurked in the shadows, tearing people to shreds. By the time I got there, thousands were already dead or infected. The city was a bloodbath."

"But how did it happen?" gasped Sara. 

"An experimental virus called the T-Virus was deliberately released into the Umbrella Corporation facilities which were experimenting with viral weaponry. It accidentally contaminated the sewer environment, and along with the monster-making G-Virus, took its toll on the city. I and a handful of survivors--some who are good friends of mine today--barely made it. A week after the initial attack, the death toll reached over a hundred thousand.

"To cover up ties with the Umbrella Corporation, and to keep research records away from rival countries, the military was ordered to launch thermobaric bombs on the city. By the end of it all, Raccoon City was reduced to nothing but a blood-soaked memory. Part of the truth surfaced, and Umbrella went down, but the damage was done. And the nightmare hasn't ended; there've been lots of bioterrorist outbreaks since then. I've lost a lot of friends and comrades along the way."

Leon paused, lost in thought. "It wasn't easy putting the pieces together to move on, but I've managed. After my cop-for-a-day experience, the government offered me a job as an agent with the U.S. Strategic Command. They thought I had what it took to deal with bioterrorism, and I wanted to help scrub out bioterrorist scumbags, so I accepted. Then a few years ago, STRATCOM was disbanded and I was transferred to the new Division of Security Operations. So this is my life. I'm fighting in memory of those who've fallen victim to bioterrorism, and for the future of the world." He sighed. "I'll admit, sometimes I feel like I need to get out, but I can't. Until I'm either dead or too old to take up the fight, I have to push on."

Leon lapsed into a contemplative silence while Sara sat staring at him with veneration. "You're amazing," she said. 

"What?" Leon roused himself from his reverie. 

"You're amazing. The most amazing person I've ever met. "

Surprise flickered briefly in his eyes.

Catching the passing expression, Sara scoffed incredulously. "Don't tell me you've never heard that before."

"Not really, no."

Sara was indignant on his behalf. "Talk about gross unappreciation! After an experience like yours, most people would've lost their sanity. Few would be willing to choose a job dedicated to reliving those horrors again and again. You've embraced it for the sake of saving others, risking your own life daily. Through it all, you've managed to keep your wits and humanity. That takes a very special person. You are well named Leon; you really do have the heart of a Lion," Sara told him.

Leon exhaled slowly, his eyes softening. "Thank you, Sara," he said quietly. 

"It must be pretty tough on your friends and relationships, never knowing when or if they'll ever see you again," said Sara.

"The friends I do have lead similar lives to mine. Raccoon City changed us and shaped us into what we are today. As for relationships... I'm actually flying solo right now," Leon answered.

"Really?" Sara couldn't hide her surprise.

Leon arched a brow. "Why does that shock you?"

Actually, Sara found it incredible that a man like Leon wasn't involved in various romantic entanglements. Aloud she only said: "Well, I thought maybe you and one of the other agents might... you know. You'd have your work in common, and you'd understand each other."

Leon pursed his lips slightly. "You'd be surprised. There was someone once. Something might've come of it, I guess. Problem was she was never really on my side. She was evasive, elusive, unpredictable and dangerous."

"And so you fell for her," Sara concluded.

Another glimmer of surprise lit Leon's eyes. He tilted his head, shaking it lightly. "You women and your intuition; you never miss a beat, do you?"

Sara smiled somewhat shyly, and Leon returned it with a small, good-natured smile of his own.

"You know, you've got the makings of a good agent yourself," he told her. 

Sara laughed outright. "Oh, sure. Life-stunted me, living in a shoebox apartment and working as a cashier in a retail chain pharmacy whose CEO is a bioterrorist."

"Nothing you just said has anything to do with who you are; only where you are in life. You're a bright, gutsy, and instinctive woman. I just wish you could see what I see."

Sara stared at him speechlessly. He met her gaze openly and without diffidence. An undeniable magnetism between them was conveyed in that simple, silent look. Sara felt she should turn away, but she couldn't tear her eyes from his, or perhaps she didn't want to.

The moment passed in the literal blink of Leon's eyes. His mood changed suddenly, returning to his usual austerity. "Well, I guess I'm in as good shape as five tablets will get me. We'd better not push our luck." He rose carefully, grimacing as he did so. Exhaling sharply, he headed to the assortment of weapons.

Sara stood and followed Leon as he hovered over the collection, flitting to the different racks and shelves like a hummingbird. She watched him intently as he selected a grenade launcher and ammunition for it. He slung it across his chest then moved on to a display of handguns. He chose two identical ones, analyzed them critically then sought out corresponding magazines and ammo. He then replaced his own guns with the new ones. Sara was impressed with the skill and precision with which he made his choices. Leon caught sight of a carrier body armor vest and donned it immediately, securing it tightly. He began loading the compartments with spare magazines and grenades.

"Whoa. You really know your stuff," Sara remarked. 

"Well, I've had lots of practice," Leon replied. He reached for a box of bullets and quickly loaded a separate magazine. Using his knife, he engraved an asterisk onto it.

Sara glanced at the box. "Incendiary bullets, huh? You planning on blowing something up?"

"First chance I get." Leon took up another gun equipped with a red dot sight along with a spare magazine. He presented it to Sara, demonstrating ejection and reload hastily.

Sara accepted the gear, still nervous. "This whole ordeal... it's gonna get swept underneath Uncle Sam's great big carpet just like Raccoon City, isn't it?" she asked pensively.

Leon paused. "Yeah. I'm kinda ambivalent about the fact. I mean, on one hand, I feel like people have the right to know the truth about the evil lurking in their own backyard. But then I think, what good would that do? Millions of people terrified, seeing monsters everywhere they look, and eyeing everyone in fear. It'd be exchanging one threat for another." He sighed deeply. 

Sara echoed his sigh. "I guess that's true. There's no such thing as black and white; just a thousand shades of gray."

"Yeah, that about sums it up," Leon said, exhaling with soul-deep weariness. Shaking it off, he double checked his guns and looked up at Sara gravely. "Okay. Stay close to me. If luck stays with us, we'll be out of this soon."

"Can't wait."

Leon led the way to another large door on the opposite end of the room. It opened readily and they passed through into a short corridor which led to a network of broad pedways.

"God, this place is a maze!" exclaimed Sara. 

Leon glanced at his comm device, checking the GPS. "We go left," he stated.

They turned down the left pedway, advancing toward the garage, when a smoke grenade suddenly landed in their path. "Look out!" cried Leon. He stopped short, gripping Sara by the shoulders and pushing her back as they both erupted into a coughing fit.

Voices echoed from every corner of the sprawling pedways. Soldiers were charging toward them.

"Oh, shit," Leon muttered. "Looks like Lady Luck just bailed on us. This has turned out to be one hell of a detour."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon manages to get Sara only to lose her to Grey's harpies. The only choice is to go back despite all the dangers.

"Go back!" Leon ordered. 

Sara turned and began to run as Leon opened fire on a trio of oncoming soldiers, but she paused in her headlong rush to check on Leon, hoping he hadn't been hurt. She was relieved to see him finishing off a kneeling soldier with a fierce kick that broke his neck in an ugly angle. 

The influx of soldiers in red-striped helmets poured in from the other pedways, closing in on them. As Sara watched in horror, she was violently seized from behind. She let out a cry of terror. 

"I've got you now, bitch," the soldier growled, his mask distorting his voice.

He whirled her around roughly, but Sara had her gun ready. Scarcely thinking, she brought it around and fired a shot at his neck. Sara froze momentarily as the soldier screamed and fell, clutching his neck as blood squirted from the wound.

Another hand took hold of Sara. She spun around, relieved to see Leon. "C'mon; they're fencing us in."

Leon aimed the grenade launcher at the group entering from the right artery and fired. Several sharp cries rose and were instantly silenced, ending in a rain of blood and debris. Sara tried to tamp down the wave of nausea that rose as Leon pulled her across the blood-slick floor.

"Where are we going?" Sara panted. 

"Wherever they're not," Leon answered.

Sara dared a glance over her shoulder. "They're gaining on us!" she exclaimed.

Leon halted long enough to draw an incendiary grenade. He pulled the pin and flung it at the incoming group. The flames immediately engulfed the soldiers, but the effect was far from desirable. Their masks exploded, blood showering the walls and floors, short black tentacles flailing around frantically.

Sara moaned in horror and disgust while Leon snatched up a bloodied assault rifle and shot down two of them, bursting the writhing tentacles. Unused to this new survival mode she was now in, Sara remembered her own gun. She took two down, though she made two errant shots for each successful hit.

"Not bad. You're getting pretty good with that," Leon praised.

Sara trembled with adrenaline, feeling like she'd been catapulted into a live video game. But it was her life at stake, and there were no do-overs. "Wish I wasn't such a lousy shot," she quavered.

"You shouldn't have to do this at all," Leon returned. "This way."

They were off again, racing down the pedway. Leon took a sharp right, and they came to a door that read "Generator Room". Thankfully, the door was unlocked, and after doing a rapid sweep of the immediate area, he ushered Sara in.

A series of gunshots reverberated around the area, and Sara looked back to see Leon fall forward with a gasp. A soldier stood triumphantly behind them, rifle still smoking. Grunting, Leon rolled onto his back and fired a bullet through the soldier's visor. The soldier collapsed into a lifeless heap.

Sara bent over Leon. "God! Are you okay?"

Leon groaned. "Yeah. Vest caught the bullet. Hurts like hell, though." He stood stiffly and advanced into the room. 

It was vast and full of noisy machines and panels. Leon threaded his way around the humming equipment, Sara in tow. After hitting several dead ends, they found an ascending yellow ladder. Leon climbed the ladder briskly then pulled her up with surprising nimbleness, though Sara could see the pained strain on his face.

They hurried across the platform. "A door!" Sara exclaimed in some relief, pointing at a large white door ahead of them. 

Nodding acknowledgement, Leon sped toward it. He stopped before it, gun ready and tried the handle. The door opened easily and a gust of wild, briny wind rushed through. 

"We're out," Sara realized.

Leon cautiously stepped outside, shielding Sara. Rain poured down in sheets, pelting them sharply as the wind howled fiercely. A flash of lightning dazzled their eyes. Before them spanned an entire potter's field no doubt full of terrifying surprises. 

"Why do I get the feeling we've just leaped out of the frying pan right into the fire?" Sara remarked.

"I'm getting the same feeling," said Leon. "But we don't have a choice. I'd better call in for that chopper. Hunnigan? Yeah. Call the extraction team. What's the E.T.A.? Twenty minutes? Okay. We're gonna have to head to the tower on foot. We got ambushed. Now there's no safe way back to the garage."

"On foot?! Great," Sara muttered, looking about worriedly.

Leon turned to her. "Keep your eyes peeled," he shouted over the gale. "This might get ugly."

They began their trek through the vast burial site, scattered floodlights throwing eerie shadows over the muddy terrain. Sara glanced up at the lofty tower looming threateningly on the horizon. It looked so hopelessly far. She returned her attention to Leon who was advancing quickly despite the storm, his form little more than a silhouette. Sara pushed back her hair, struggling to see through the driving rain. 

Suddenly, a rough, bony hand burst through the mire and seized her ankle. She fell to the ground dropping her gun and rolling into an open, empty grave where her undead assailant stood waist-deep in murky water. The zombie grabbed her shoulders, trying to sink its rotten teeth into her neck. Sara wrestled against it, astonished at its strength. She cried out in desperate frustration, her feet losing traction beneath the miry water. The creature snapped, rasping loudly above the din of the storm.

Gunfire sounded from behind her, and Sara’s struggle ended abruptly as the creature’s head exploded into fragments of bone and soggy sediment. The headless corpse fell backward with a splash, floating in the flooding pit. She looked up to see Leon still aiming her gun, a scowl on his face. He held out his hand to her which she immediately took in a strong grip, hauling herself up with his aid.

“Were you bitten?” Leon demanded as he helped her stand.

Sara shook her head, too winded to respond. A bolt of lightning lit the field, and Sara felt a stab of horror as she beheld a heartstopping sight behind Leon. A group of zombies were lurching toward them, some holding pickaxes and shovels, others advancing with their arms outstretched. Sara exclaimed, her eyes wide.

Leon whirled around. “Here comes the infantry,” he remarked, taking in the scene. He thrust the gun back into Sara’s hand then drew his own. "Watch out; they're a tactile bunch.”

"I noticed," Sara quavered.

Leon opened fire, the blasts almost rivaling the deafening thunder peals. Wherever she could, Sara contributed a shaky shot, stopping only once to reload her gun as she helped thin out the wave of zombies. As the path cleared, Leon advanced, Sara striving to keep him in sight. 

A fallen zombie that still refused to accept its death leaped up at Leon's back, clutching his neck. He struggled, dealing the creature a smart blow with his elbow. The zombie reeled backward, but it snarled, ready to attack again. Sara attempted to shoot it as Leon regained his balance. The chamber clicked uselessly, the magazine empty. Panicking, Sara flung the empty gun at the creature. It hardly seemed to notice as it seized Leon by his neck. In the dim light, Sara perceived an abandoned shovel. She instantly grabbed it, and bringing it forward in a hard swing, she decapitated the zombie.

The zombie collapsed, dropping Leon. He doubled over, leaning on his knees and working to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" Sara asked. 

Leon straightened up and fixed his eyes on her. "Yeah. Nice work getting my back," he said hoarsely.

Sara chuckled dryly. "No problem."

A clap of thunder resounded across the island, but now the bloodcurdling sound of screeching blended with it. Sara and Leon looked up to see the source of the cacophony. 

A brilliant flash of lightning revealed two female shapes with large, bat-like wings and glowing red eyes diving toward them. Their mouths gaped uncannily in an earsplitting shriek. Another bolt of lightning further exposed four clawed hands and large, scaly feet with black talons.

"Harpies!" exclaimed Sara.

"Grey's really taken his love of mythology to an unhealthy level," Leon remarked. "Run!"

Leon and Sara tore through the field, kicking up clumps of mud as they slipped and skidded, trying desperately to evade the grasping hands of the undead that erupted from their graves.

Sara's knees gave out and she collapsed to the sodden earth, screaming as a zombie clawed its way toward her. Leon appeared before her and dealt the creature a powerful kick before hoisting her up with rough haste. Sara groaned, her lungs aching, a stitch catching her side. 

"C'mon, Sara! We gotta keep moving," Leon shouted.

Sara fought back a wave of dizziness and nausea, daring once to look back. One harpy was still in hot pursuit, the other was nowhere in sight. "Where's the other one?" she wheezed. 

"What?"

Sara turned forward again to see the shadowy figure of a harpy as it plunged toward them. "Duck!" shouted Leon, pushing her to the ground. Before they could recover, a shriek pierced the air, alarmingly close. 

Sara looked up, her heart all but stopping as she beheld the second harpy diving down at full speed, talons outstretched. She screamed in horror as she was violently snatched up into the air. "Leon!" she shrieked. "Help me! Leon!"

But as the harpy rapidly ascended higher into the stormy scarlet sky, Sara knew he couldn't save her. She watched in despair as his figure grew smaller with every beat of the harpy's wings. Above the uproar of the storm she heard Leon's fierce and desperate shout:

"Sara!"

☆☆☆

Leon clutched his gun tightly, still staring at the vanishing figures of the harpy and her unfortunate captive. The rare feeling of helplessness laid hold of him momentarily. There was nothing he could do to stop Grey from infecting Sara now.

"I've gotta get her back. The vaccine's our only hope now," he mused.

A shriek scattered his thoughts. Before Leon realized what was happening, the forgotten harpy had wrenched him off the ground. His gun fell as he flailed desperately in the monster's vicious grip, her clawed hands threatening to crush his larynx.

Leon's turned a bleary glare on the harpy's hideous face. He reached for his trusty knife, drawing it with great effort as his oxygen dwindled, and slashed the harpy's forearm. With an agonized howl of rage, she dropped Leon immediately.

He hit the ground, briefly dazed, pain shooting through his body. Coughing and gasping, Leon dragged himself away from the hovering harpy. He pulled out the .45 with its single remaining bullet. Trying to focus through the red haze clouding his vision, he aimed at the harpy's indistinct outline. The resulting screech and the dull thud of her fall was proof of a successful hit.

Leon tossed the gun away and scrabbled through the mud in an effort to stand. A hand seized him and flipped him onto his back. The harpy straddled him, pinning him down with her bulk, wings drooping on either side of him.

She opened her mouth, her fetid breath overwhelming him despite the wind. The cavity gyrated, growing impossibly bigger as a smaller mouth emerged from the gaping hole. A black tongue flicked forth from behind a row of razor-sharp teeth. Leon sought his fallen knife frantically. Luckily, a flash of lightning illuminated the blade; it lay just inches away from him.

Summoning every ounce of his remaining strength, Leon dealt the advancing mouth a sharp, backhanded blow. The harpy roared, raising her arms to strike him. He groped about frenziedly, finally catching hold of his knife's hilt. Leon plunged it into the side of her neck then jerked it free in a rain of hot, brown blood. He rolled aside as she fell forward, thrashing and gurgling. Drawing his second gun, he fired three rounds into her head. The creature convulsed momentarily before lying still at last.

Leon remained positioned for another shot. Realizing it was over, he relaxed. He started to his knees, but overwhelmed by pain and exhaustion, he collapsed, prostrate. Leon willed himself to rise, but his body refused to obey. 

Rolling onto his back, he gazed enervatedly at the raging clouds that cast relentless torrents of rain upon him. Agent Liu's face and the photos of the abducted women flashed before his eyes. Sara's terrified screams echoed in his mind as he succumbed to the gathering darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. Liam Grey wins this round, infecting Sara with the Omega Virus. But Leon hasn't thrown in the towel; buying time before the BSAA destroys Halcyon Isle he resolves to reenter the facility to get Sara back.

The harpy dropped Sara onto the rooftop like a discarded sack. Sara rolled to a stop at the feet of a tall, lean man, her head coming to rest on the instep of his left foot. She groaned, her ribs bruised from the fall.

The man clucked his tongue disapprovingly. “Please forgive my pet. I'm afraid that’s not quite the delivery I had in mind. But no matter; you’re here.”

Sara raised herself up to look up at the man. He was clad in a black raincoat, his face hidden by the hood, but she recognized that smug voice. “Liam Grey,” she croaked. A hot jet of rage eclipsed her terror, hatred burning in her eyes.

Grey chuckled. “Correct, my dear. Now, I do believe enough time has been wasted.” He raised his head. “Take her to the lab and prep her. I’ve been stalling Mr. Ramsey far too long; he’s expecting results tonight. He’ll be holo-meeting with me around 7:00; I want Omega incubating in the subject’s blood before then.”

“Yes, sir,” chorused a pair of voices. Two soldiers seized Sara’s arms and heaved her to her feet roughly.

“Let go of me!” Sara shrieked. She fought against her captors, thrashing and pulling at them. “You son of a bitch!” she screamed into Grey’s shadowed face. “You won’t get away with this!”

“Young lady, I already have. This will go much easier if you just stop fighting. No one is coming for you. The agent is most likely dead, and if he isn’t yet, he soon will be. I’ll see to that personally. You should rejoice, Miss Rios. Tonight, you’ll be reborn. Tonight, you come into your destiny. Take her, and tell them I want her washed before I begin.”

The soldiers hauled Sara away, still fighting every step of the way. The journey through the dark corridors was a blur. Exhausted at last, she went limp in the soldiers’ grasp, dropping her gaze to the cement floor as they headed to their destination. 

She thought of Leon standing in the storm, shouting her name. Was he dead? Had he been taken by the other harpy? Sara didn’t want to believe that. She could only hope his skill and agility had been enough to save him. Sara no longer entertained any hopes of being rescued, however. She had been compromised. In mere moments Nyx would be born, and Sara Rios would cease to exist.

Fear constricted her throat, threatening to suffocate her. It was impossible to simply resign herself to this fate, but in the depths of her heart, she silently prayed that if Leon was out there, he would focus solely on taking down Liam Grey and Devon Ramsey.

Sara was jarred from her thoughts when the soldiers released her onto a cold linoleum floor. “Grey wants her cleaned up and changed,” one of them ordered. Sara looked up to see two men in scrubs and surgical masks.

“Take her into the cleaning chamber,” was the reply.

One of the soldiers pulled Sara up once again. He followed one of the technicians to a large stall lined with frosted glass walls, driving Sara ahead of him as though steering cattle. He gave her a hard shove onto a porcelain tile floor. “Okay, gentlemen. She’s all yours.” The soldier departed, and the two technicians moved in on Sara.

She scrambled into a corner. “Wait, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice breaking.

“Get her out of those clothes first,” the second technician told his companion.

Sara’s eyes went wide. “No, wait. Don’t--”

Ignoring her, the first technician immediately began denuding her of Leon’s jacket and her soiled, tattered nightshirt despite her scuffling and protestations. “Shit! Clarence, get your ass over here! This bitch is a handful!”

The said Clarence joined his partner and between the two of them, they had her completely nude, shivering in the chilly air of the laboratory. “Hose her down, Petersen,” he ordered.

Petersen and Clarence left the stall, Petersen returning with a hose in hand. He opened the water, blasting its powerful pressure at Sara. She cried out as the erupting jet of water all but flayed the skin from her bare body. The two men seemed to derive fiendish pleasure from the scene. 

Satisfied at last that she was clean, Petersen turned off the hose, leaving Sara shuddering violently and in absolute humiliation. Clarence entered the stall, holding a sleeveless pale gray shift which he tossed at her. "Get dressed," he said icily.

Sara quickly donned the shift. It did little in the way of warmth, but she was relieved to be clothed again.

"Up," Petersen commanded.

Sara obeyed; resistance was not an option. If she had possessed a sliver of Leon's combative skills, she would have made them pay dearly for the horror she and the other women had suffered at their hands then and there.

Petersen seized Sara by the scruff of her neck and pushed her along into the large, dimly lit laboratory. Sara's heart beat thickly with one part fear and two parts fury. She took one look at the operating table fitted with restraints and she cried out, instinctively trying to bolt away from the technicians. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Clarence asked mockingly. He turned her abruptly, and dealt her a backhanded blow that dazed her and left her cheek smarting. He hoisted her over his shoulder then threw her onto the table and began securing the restraints around her arms and legs.

"You'd better not be around when I turn," Sara said, fixing Clarence with a savage gaze. "I swear I'll kill you first."

The icy terror that gripped her gave way to fierce satisfaction at the passing shade of fear that crossed his face.

"Mr. Clarence," came Grey's imperious voice from the doorway. "Your zeal is appreciated, but I think you enjoy your work overmuch. I want my subject in pristine condition for Mr. Ramsey. He won't like seeing her lacerated and bruised."

Clarence grunted and nodded. "She's ready for you, doctor."

Sara exhaled a shuddering breath and turned her eyes up to the ceiling to avoid the blinding beam of the overhead lamp directly over her face. She suddenly found herself looking up into Liam Grey's face. His frigid olive green eyes gazed back at her calculatingly. He looked more like a military soldier, dressed in a brown uniform, his silver-streaked red hair slicked back severely away from his face.

"You and your agent friend have caused quite a bit of damage around here. Mr. Ramsey will be none too pleased about that, but I'll more than have purchased redemption when he sees you," Grey told her. He glanced up at the technicians cursorily. "Get me my coat and some gloves. I'll administer the virus myself; I don't want any mistakes. Petersen, set up an intravenous line. I need muscle relaxants, sedatives and antiviral B on a slow drip; I need to delay Omega's cellular development until Mr. Ramsey calls in. We'll take it from there."

Clarence and Petersen set to work getting the required supplies while Sara stared up at the unfinished ceiling, her heart palpitating, body aquiver. A single tear streamed from her eye. She strained at her bonds as Petersen inserted the IV line into her right arm. Grey then reappeared before her, attired in a lab coat and latex gloves. He held a large syringe in his hand.

"Why? Why are you and Ramsey so determined to end the world?" Sara ground out.

"You don't understand, my dear. Mr. Ramsey isn't looking to end the world but to enhance it! A new race will be born, and you will birth it." Grey's eyes gleamed with excitement.

Sara felt a stab of horror as she went rigid, her hands balled into fists. She pressed her lips into a hard, grim line to stifle a sob.

"Tonight... history will be made!" Grey primed the syringe then injected it into Sara's arm.

As soon as the fluid entered her vein, Sara felt white-hot pain rush through her. Every muscle and nerve went taut, contracting as the virus latched onto every cell. She couldn't contain the anguished scream that burst from her mouth. Sara's body convulsed, her eyes rolling backward.

Grey calmly laid aside the syringe and went to the console of computers that controlled the substances he had requested. He entered the doses then coolly turned back to his subject. "She'll be stabilizing soon," he told his assistants. He glanced at the monitor displaying Sara's vital signs. "Yes, blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, all approaching normal levels. We'll get those dopamine levels up, too."

Sara writhed a moment or two longer before going limp on the table, moaning weakly. The room seemed to swim before her eyes, the chatter of the men sounding tinny and distorted. Strange hallucinations wove through her consciousness. Most vivid of all was the appearance of Leon standing in a corner, looking battered and broken.

I'm sorry I couldn't save you, the hallucination said. I couldn't even save myself.

The image shivered and shuddered, melting Leon's handsome face into the bloody, decaying form of a flesh-hungry zombie. It snarled and hissed, leaping at Sara. She tried to scream, but only managed a weak whimper as the hallucination faded.

At that moment a soldier burst into the room. "Grey, you son of a bitch!" he thundered.

"Foster, what the hell are you doing in here?! I'm in the middle of a procedure. You've got business to attend to out there," Grey answered. 

"You've been turning my men into these freak mutations of yours. We didn't sign up for this shit, Grey! What the hell have you done to them?"

Grey smiled sinisterly. "The second you accepted the money was the second you signed up for anything I had in mind. Your unit has been… upgraded. I told you I needed strong soldiers to get the job done. Dead or alive, they all had to serve their purpose."

Foster looked stunned, horrified and furious all at once. "You won't get away with this. Ramsey will hear about what you've done."

Grey sighed exasperatedly. He drew a small gun from the folds of his lab coat. "I don't have time for grievances, Foster." Before the soldier could react, Grey fired a shot to the center of his head. The man crumpled to the floor. 

Sara let out a constricted gasp.

"Shit, Grey!" exclaimed Clarence.

"Ramsey will thank me for shrinking the payroll. Foster and his unit were useless; if they'd been any good, that miserable agent would've been dead hours ago," Grey replied. He approached the corpse and took his radio. "Attention remaining units: you now report directly to me. Should you sight the agent dead or alive, notify me immediately. I will personally handle him."

Sara felt some strength returning to her body though her brain still felt foggy and sluggish. "Offing your own soldiers, hiding experiments from your boss? That sounds like insubordination to me," she said hoarsely. 

"Ramsey is an extraordinary visionary, my dear, but where he sees trash, I see an opportunity to create something new. Waste not, want not." Grey gave her a crooked smile.

A low beeping sounded, breaking the tense silence. "Ah, that'll be Mr. Ramsey. Petersen, Clarence, kindly remove Commander Foster from here. Mr. Ramsey shouldn't be privy to our little in-house disputes."

Clarence and Petersen obeyed. The corpse having been cleared away, Grey replaced his gun and answered the tone. Immediately, a holographic image of Devon Ramsey appeared in the laboratory.

"What took you so long?" Ramsey demanded, large hazel eyes open wide in stygian displeasure.

Sara looked over at the image groggily. Devon Ramsey, CEO of Eclipse Solutions. She'd seen him numerous times on television, usually announcing some scientific breakthrough or corporate advancement. Now here he was--his likeness, at least--staring at his subordinate with a bloody gleam in his eyes; the man behind the horror.

"Apologies, Mr. Ramsey. We were extremely busy preparing the subject. But she's ready for you, sir. Allow me to introduce you to… Nyx."

Sara's stomach lurched as Ramsey turned his full attention to her. He regarded her almost hungrily. "She's a perfect match, then?" he said, his image advancing toward her. 

"Omega began binding with her cells immediately. Left unhindered, complete mutation is expected within ten to twelve minutes. I've given her a low rate of Antiviral B to retard the fusion and decelerate transformation. I knew you'd want to see her prior to metamorphosis." Grey's tone was sickeningly triumphant.

"Indeed, Grey. In fact, I want to be there when she converts," Ramsey said. Sara shuddered as his eyes roved over her. She averted her gaze, forcing her dim eyes to fix on the clock high on the wall ahead of her.

"What's the current rate of cellular fusion?" inquired Ramsey.

"Fusion is at seven percent. At this rate, full transformation can be delayed for no more than twenty minutes," Grey replied.

"Raise the Antiviral B dose. Administer the maximum amount required to delay transformation to approximately an hour," Ramsey ordered. 

Grey frowned. "But, sir, isn't that risking the potency of the virus? Her immune system may try to destroy it in response to the antivirus."

Ramsey tossed his head, unconcerned. "Antiviral B is only a partial component of the vaccine. By itself it can't overcome Omega; only slow its generation. Put the cellular transition monitor on her, and track the development. Keep me informed of any negative changes. I'm taking my private helicopter. I'll be on the island within forty five minutes."

Without waiting for a response from Grey, Ramsey disconnected the holo-call, vanishing from the lab.

Grey immediately turned to the computer console where he opened a small attache case. He removed a wristband monitor and having input some data, he placed it on Sara's wrist. Sara felt a tiny pinprick from the monitor, a low beep following the prick.

"Cellular fusion at twelve percent," he read from the monitor's display. "Total conversion in approximately seventy four minutes." Grey nodded, satisfied. He looked into Sara's face and patted her wrist. "Prepare to make history," he said. 

Sara shrank away from his touch feebly, a fresh stream of angry, fearful tears spilling from her eyes.

Grey turned to his technicians. "It's done. Keep an eye on her; let me know if there are any adverse changes. I have other matters to attend to, including vigilance against that agent."

Having said this, Grey removed his lab gear and left the room, leaving Sara with Petersen and Clarence. Happily, they left Sara alone, heading to the outer room where they lapsed into quiet conversation.

Sara gazed at the clock lethargically. Total conversion in seventy four minutes. Sara fought through the drug-induced fog in her brain, she whispered up to the heavens: "If I'm not to be saved, please grant me a quick death. And if Leon is alive, keep him safe and let him find a way to end this." The sedative overcame her then and the world faded to troubled silence.

☆☆☆

Leon abruptly came to, the nightmarish events rushing back to him. Groaning softly, he pushed himself to his feet, taking in his surroundings as he collected his wits.

The storm had relented to a calm, steady downpour, but lightning still flashed across the sky, thunder rumbling distantly. Brushing his hair away from his eyes, Leon produced his tablet case. He was disappointed to find only seven remaining. Shrugging resignedly, he took four. It would have to do.

At that moment, his comm device went off. "Yeah, Hunnigan," he answered huskily. 

"Leon! I've been trying to reach you for the last ten minutes!" Hunnigan exclaimed.

Leon sighed. "Ten minutes… That's ten minutes too long."

"What happened?"

"I made more new friends, and they play pretty hard. I took some serious hits and lost consciousness. Hunnigan, Grey's got Sara."

"Oh, no."

"I need to delay that evac, Hunnigan. I'm going back for her," Leon affirmed.

"Leon, I'm as sorry as you are about losing her, but I'm sure she's been infected by now. It's too late."

"Maybe not. Ramsey was smart enough to whip up a vaccine in case his project went awry. If I can get a hold of it, I can still save Sara," Leon answered.

"Leon, I've sent the Phanes file to the NSA. The Department of Defense has given express orders for the island to be destroyed. They're going to drop a missile on it, and they're going to do it soon," Hunnigan explained.

"Shit. I need to hold them off just long enough to give me a chance. Hunnigan, can you patch me through to BSAA Captain Chris Redfield?"

"Of course. Stand by."

"Leon, what's going on out there? You okay?" came Chris' voice after a moment. 

" 'Okay's' a stretch, but I managed to give the Grim Reaper the slip again. Chris, I've got a serious situation here: FOS Hunnigan tells me the DOD wants this place lit up and quick, but the girl I was trying to save was taken. Ramsey's gonna infect her with a virus known as Omega, to make her the ultimate B.O.W. I've got a chance to save her; I've just gotta get back inside," Leon explained.

"HQ's given orders to blow the island in 30 minutes. That's all the time you've got to clear out of there," Chris told him urgently.

"I need more time. Is there anything you can do to delay the launch?"

Chris was silent for a moment. "I don't know what I can do. It's not up to me; I'm on ground support/extraction detail. HQ expects me to pull you out in exactly fifteen minutes. They're not likely to listen to me if I tell them to hold off. The mission is everything; they'll bomb the place with you in it if necessary. Trust me; I know from experience."

"C'mon, Chris. There's gotta be something you can do. I can't just let this girl die when there's a chance I can save her. I couldn't save the other women, and I even lost my partner out here. I don't want to lose her, too. If there's anything you can do--anything--to buy me some time… please. Remember Edonia when your whole unit went down. If you could've done anything to save just one of them from infection, I know you would've."

An uncomfortable silence followed. "I'd've given my life," Chris said at length.

Leon waited with bated breath.

"Damn it to hell," Chris suddenly growled. "Piece of shit engine would stall now! That's gonna set the ETA back fifteen minutes. Looks like you're gonna have to hold out a bit longer. I'll radio HQ and inform them of the delay."

Leon smiled faintly. "Thanks, Chris."

"That's all the time I'll be able to buy you," Chris told him. "After that, the fighter pilot'll get clearance to blow Halcyon sky high whether or not you've evaced."

"I know."

"Leon…"

"Yeah?"

"When the evac chopper arrives, you be ready to haul ass out of there no matter what, you got that?"

"Copy that," Leon replied.

"Okay. Good luck. Redfield out."

Leon exhaled in relief. Now he just had to get into the facility. "Hunnigan," he tried.

"I'm here."

"I've got a little leeway. I need you to find me a way back inside."


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Against all odds, Leon returns to the facility to rescue Sara, facing down Dr. Grey and CERBERUS.

It was dangerous and wearisome work rounding back to the research building. Between the zombies and the muddy terrain, his progress was greatly hampered. His flashlight scarcely cut through the obscurity of the pouring rain. Alternately fighting and running, Leon finally made it to the facility with Hunnigan’s guidance.

Leon rounded the side of the enormous edifice searching for the infiltration point Hunnigan had indicated: a surface access point into an underground passage leading to the facility’s warehouse. Adjacent to the warehouse was the main building. There was, however, a nasty catch to getting there.

Leon looked up at both buildings and couldn’t help heaving a deep sigh. The roof of the multi-story warehouse overlooked a sizable terrace on the research building. A roof access cage ladder was affixed to the wall adjacent to the terrace. Making it from the warehouse to the terrace was going to require some acrobatic work… and an insane amount of luck.

A distant growl arrested his attention. His entire body tensed. Leon ducked into the shadows, shutting off his flashlight and peering out. He heard the lumbering steps of a large creature approaching. It stepped into the warehouse floodlights, snapping, snarling and sniffing. CERBERUS. Leon shrank back farther, hoping the rain would make it more difficult for CERBERUS to sniff him out, but he wasn't depending on that.

CERBERUS sniffed loudly, baring its razor-sharp teeth. Irritation superseding fear, Leon's mind raced, trying to find a way of distracting the creature. CERBERUS crept closer. Its hackles rose, sensing Leon's presence despite the rain. An idea flashed into Leon's head; he drew an incendiary grenade. He pulled the pin and, aiming high, he pitched it as hard as he could. 

"Fetch, boy," Leon murmured.

The grenade sailed through the air in an impressive arc before hitting the ground in a burst of flames. CERBERUS roared and turned toward the small blaze in the distance.

"Huh. That's one for the MLB," Leon remarked. Relieved, he turned toward his infiltration point, and made his way into the passage. At that moment, a loud alarm blared.

"Damn. Won't be long before they roll out the welcome wagon for me. Better be ready for anything."

Leon made his way through the dimly lit passage and finally emerged into the warehouse. It was surprisingly empty. He had expected an ambush, but there was no one in sight. It was far too quiet. No doubt Grey was expecting him.

A long ascent on a ramp followed by a climb up a wall ladder finally brought Leon out onto the roof and back under the rain. He looked about cautiously before stepping forward to analyze the feat ahead. It was a considerable distance from the rooftop to the terrace, and the drop was fatal.

Leon rolled his shoulders back and inhaled deeply. He retreated from the edge of the roof, giving himself enough space to make a running start. Taking a moment to focus, Leon sprinted forward, his eyes fixed on the terrace railing. He leaped off the roof and sailed through the air. For an instant he feared he wouldn't make it, his momentum seeming insufficient. But at the last second, Leon caught hold of the railing, hitting the brick with a jarring impact that sent shockwaves of pain through his body.

Gasping and groaning, Leon tightened his grip on the rail and pulled himself up. He dropped onto the terrace floor, waiting for the climax of the pain to pass and drawing his breath in uneven rasps. He rallied quickly, determination fueling his will. Leon rose, and ignoring the sharp ache of his ribs, he proceeded to make his way up the ladder.

The climb seemed almost interminable, but he reached the roof at last, climbing the top rung warily. Everything was pitch black except for where his narrow flashlight beam illuminated. Leon drew his gun and advanced slowly, shining the paltry beam of light ahead of him.

A sudden blow to his arms knocked his weapon clean out of his hands. Another stunning blow sent Leon hurtling to the floor. He recovered brilliantly, rolling to the side and rising on one knee, looking wildly for his assailant.

The sound of multiple switches being flipped on filled the air, and suddenly Leon found himself bathed in a blaze of floodlights. He shielded his dazzled eyes immediately. Squinting, he stood and sought his adversary anew.

"So we meet again, Agent. I've been expecting you, actually. And what kind of host would I be if I didn't honor you with a warm welcome?"

"Grey," Leon realized. He still couldn't see him; pockets of shadow concealed Grey from view.

"You're too late to stop me, Agent. And you're out of time. Now you'll discover the penalty for your lack of vision," Grey declared. 

Leon turned in the direction of the voice. "'Lack of vision'?" he scoffed. "You've got a hell of an ego, Grey, but this isn't Star Wars, and you sure as hell are no emperor."

Grey uttered a bestial growl as he lunged at Leon from the shadows. Leon quickly drew his second gun, but Grey didn't give him a chance to use it. An impressive kick to Leon's abdomen knocked it out of his hands again. Grey sprung at Leon's throat, but Leon grappled with him fiercely.

The world around Leon seemed to vanish; for the moment there was nothing else but his opponent. Grey proved to be a very challenging opponent at that. Despite his age, he was agile and his attacks were vigorous. They exchanged blow after blow in a vicious clash.

Grey landed a series of successful punches to Leon's face. Taking advantage of his momentary daze, Grey managed to get up behind him, locking him in a full nelson hold. Leon exhaled sharply, the pressure Grey exerted on his neck threatening to break it. Maintaining his presence of mind, he straightened his head, pressing his arms together and in to break Grey's hold. He swung his neck back sharply in a powerful backward headbutt, breaking free as Grey reeled backward, blood trickling from his nose.

Grey pounced on him yet again, dealing him a hard blow to his wounded flank. Leon cried out in agonized fury as the scarcely-healing wound was reopened. Grey's lips curved into a savage smile at the discovery and he struck Leon twice more. Leon barred a third attempt by shielding the area with his arm then lashing his leg out in a kick to Grey's shin.

Swearing foully, Grey doubled over, but he straightened up in a flash and charged at Leon. Anticipating the assault, Leon caught Grey in his headlong rush and shoved him away, landing a smooth kick to the small of his back.

Unable to stop himself from falling, Grey hit the floor, clawing at the gravel in fury. Leon advanced to follow up on his advantage, but Grey snatched up a handful of gravel and hurled it at Leon's face. Leon exclaimed, trying to clear the sediment away from his eyes. Grey took the opportunity to seize Leon's ankle. With a violent tug, he pulled Leon down to the floor.

Struggling to clear his vision, Leon wrestled with Grey almost blindly. He felt a yank at his shoulder and realized that Grey had drawn his knife out of its sheath. He opened his bleary eyes wide as he saw the blade coming down at him. Leon caught Grey's arm just before the knife struck. He struggled furiously with Grey until his muscles cracked and buckled with the effort. The blade's tip glistened evilly in the light, only inches away from Leon's eye.

With a burst of energy, Leon managed to push Grey off balance, rolling over him and away from easy reach. Undeterred, Grey sprang up and pursued Leon. They stood face to face, Grey swinging the blade wildly as Leon dodged and wove out of range. Snarling, Grey flew at him. Leon dove out of the way, but not before Grey managed to land a slash at his left arm.

Leon spun away, grimacing. He clutched the fresh wound, blood streaming between his fingers. Grey charged at him once more. Leon received him readily, striving to avoid the deadly blade. A lethal dance ensued as the men grappled for the knife. 

His rage wrought to the highest, Leon felt an uncanny jet of strength rise within him. He forced Grey's wrist backward forcefully. The snap of the bone and Grey's guttural cry of pain was satisfying. Leon followed up on his advantage as Grey's grip on the knife loosened, dealing him a hard blow to the throat.

As Grey staggered backward retching and rasping, Leon gave him a side kick. At last the knife clattered out of Grey's hand as he reeled further back. With a furious growl, Leon rose in a magnificent spinning roundhouse kick.

The impact of the kick pitched Grey clear over the railing. Leon rushed over to look, working to catch his breath and gripping his bleeding arm. Grey dangled from the lower rung of the railing by a single hand. He swore foully, glaring up at Leon.

"Still think you're a god, Grey?" Leon called out to him.

A distorted smile spread across Grey's face. "That's right, be smug, boy. I'll die, but it doesn't matter. You can't stop what's coming. The wheel of fate is already in motion." His grip slipped and he gasped. Grinding his teeth, he laughed bitterly. "I'll see you in hell."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "You'd better hope not."

At last Grey's hold gave way. Screaming, he plummeted to the pavement below.

"Happy landings," Leon muttered.

Grey hit the concrete with a distant cracking thud, a dark pool of blood spreading from his broken corpse.

Leon stood looking at the sight for a moment before turning away. Weary and hurting, he proceeded to gather his weapons. He produced his tablet case and emptied the contents into his hand. "Damn," he muttered as he counted out four in total. He popped them into his mouth and flung the empty case away.

"Okay, Sara. I'm coming for you."

Without waiting for the tablets to take effect, Leon made his way down into the building, prepared for whatever came his way.

☆☆☆

CERBERUS glared at the dying flames of the incendiary grenade and snarled. Shifting its bulk, it turned and rounded back to the lab facility. The creature paused, catching the metallic tang of freshly shed blood riding on the wind.

CERBERUS galloped toward the scent, coming to a halt at the broken, bloody body of Liam Grey. CERBERUS sniffed the corpse interestedly for a moment then proceeded to feed on it, devouring Grey in two bites.

No sooner had the monster finished its grotesque meal than it began to mutate further. Its decaying flesh tore as its limbs grew longer, and it became impossibly larger. Its claws lengthened, and its hide became tougher.

CERBERUS stretched its horrendous body and let out a resounding roar, its thick, grayish spittle spraying forth. Growling deeply, CERBERUS turned and bounded into the shadows, seeking live prey


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grey's dead, and Leon's got hold of Sara. But she's been infected by the Omega Virus. Their only hope now is to find the vaccine before Sara turns.

Surprisingly, Leon met with no further resistance. He was certain, however, that getting out of the facility was going to be a hell of a lot harder than getting into it.

Leon carefully followed his GPS until he came to the laboratory. Preparing himself for any threats, he tried the knob. The door opened easily, and he stepped inside. There was no one to be seen in the immediate area. A low beeping noise coming from a room behind a frosted glass panel caught Leon's attention.

He quietly made his way toward the room and peered carefully inside. A lab technician was standing with his back to the door analyzing a computer monitor. On the far right of the room, Sara lay bound to the surgical table.

Sara.

The technician suddenly turned around and stared at Leon. He started violently. "How the hell did you get in here?!" he exclaimed.

Before Leon could answer, he heard the shattering of glass behind him. He turned to see another technician stepping out of a supply room.

"Holy shit!" the man whimpered upon seeing Leon. Without further remark, he sprinted out the door.

Leon returned his attention to the first technician who had taken up a crucible and now stood poised to fling it at him. Leon instantly trained his gun on him. 

"Uh-uh. I wouldn't do that if I were you. Your friend out there's got about five minutes or so before a very pissed, probably very hungry CERBERUS gets to him. You're in here with me, which means you've got sixty seconds to live unless you tell me where the vaccine is."

The technician dropped the crucible. "If I tell you, Dr. Grey'll kill me!"

"Not from where he is."

The man's eyes widened. "If Mr. Ramsey finds out--"

Leon raised the gun a little higher to the level of the technician's head. "He'll never get the chance," he replied darkly.

"It-it doesn't even matter. The girl's been infected. It won't be long before--"

"Wrong answer!" Swiftly redirecting his aim, Leon fired, grazing the technician's arm deeply. 

He fell backward with an effeminate shriek, blood spattering onto the wall and equipment. Leon reached him in three brisk strides and yanked him up roughly by his collar. "Let's try this again, okay? The vaccine…"

"Okay, okay!" the technician whined. "I don't know exactly where Mr. Ramsey has it, but I do know it's somewhere in the tower. That's Mr. Ramsey's private quarters. The precise location was only on a need-to-know basis."

Leon reflected on this information then looked back at him. "Thank you; you've been very helpful."

With that, he pistol-whipped the technician and dragged him to the supply closet where he locked him in.

At last Leon was free to attend to Sara. He studied her briefly as she lay in drug-induced repose. His eyes ran over her form: her head wound had healed fully as had the graze on her leg. Accelerated healing was definite proof that the virus was taking effect on Sara's body.

The wrist monitor she wore caught his attention. He checked the display, a dismayed scowl forming on his face. "Cellular fusion at twenty four percent; conversion complete in sixty four minutes," he read. He pressed his lips somberly, glancing up at the IV lines connected to her arms. The feeds had to be cut off before he could move her.

Leon went back to the computers, quickly shutting down the IV feeds. He was beside Sara again in a flash, cutting the restraints off her wrists and ankles. Presently, Sara moaned softly. He stood over her, his brow furrowed with concern. "Sara, it's me, Leon. Can you hear me?"

Sara's eyelids fluttered. "Leon?"

"Yeah," he answered softly. "I'm here."

Sara opened her eyes and fixed them on his face. Her lips gaped in realization and she started to sit up. "Leon! How--how are you here?!"

Leon stopped her abrupt movements, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. "Easy. It doesn't matter; I just am."

Sara's weary eyes assessed him."My God… Leon!" she exclaimed, taking in his sodden and bloody appearance. She raised a cold, trembling hand to his face, skimming tenderly over the contusions in dismay. 

Her caring touch surprised him and stirred him deeply. He took her hand and lowered it. "I'll be fine, Sara," he said, his tone deceptively stolid.

"But Grey--"

"Is dead. Forget about him. I'm getting you out of here," he assured her.

Sara shook her head vehemently. "No. You shouldn't have come," she whispered. "It's too late, Leon; I'm already infected."

"I know, but we've still got a chance," Leon said resolutely. "We're gonna get the vaccine and cure you."

Sara shook her head ruefully. "Just go; leave me here. Just focus on putting a stop to Ramsey and get out while you still can. Besides, there are eight million people in this city. There's no sense in endangering all those lives for one person nobody even cares about."

Leon felt a strange flare of pain and ire at Sara's self-deprecating remark. "I care," he replied somewhat sharply. The instant he had uttered the words, he realized that he cared significantly more than was considered professionally acceptable.

Sara went silent, fixing a surprised, plaintive gaze on him. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that?" Leon asked, looking at her gravely.

Sara chuckled dryly. "It has been a while," she replied.

That tugged at Leon's heartstrings.

Sara shook her head. "What if we can't make it to the vaccine? Do you realize the odds of even finding it?"

"I'll tell you about odds: Since Raccoon City, I've been implanted by a mind-altering parasite, faced down armies of the undead, and taken on dozens B.O.W.s. If I calculated by odds, I'd have given up the fight on bioterrorism years ago."

The tears Sara had been working to hold back spilled over, and she bowed her head. Leon's heart ached for her. Giving his carefully-reined emotions allowance, he gathered her to him with his uninjured arm and embraced her. He felt Sara tense momentarily, but then she clutched him tightly, her body shuddering with suppressed sobs.

Leon smoothed her dark hair affectionately. "We'll make it, Sara."

"Promise me something, Leon."

Leon withdrew and looked at her solemnly in noncommittal silence.

"If we can't get to the vaccine, kill me before I finish turning."

"That's not gonna happen--"

"Promise me!" Sara demanded. 

Leon nodded grimly. "I promise." It was a vow he could conscientiously make. If she turned, he would terminate her; there would be no choice. But each time he was forced to kill an infected companion, it wore a little more of his soul away. Agent Liu's mutated face flashed before him, and he blinked quickly to dispel the image.

"Let's get these lines off you," Leon said. "It'll hurt a little." He carefully pulled the needles out of Sara's arms. She endured the procedure quiescently, watching his movements fixedly. Her eyes met his as he took her hands to help her off the table. 

"Where are your tablets?" Sara inquired.

"Fresh out. I'll be doing things the hard way from here on in." Leon chuckled. "I look that bad, huh?" He helped her down.

"That arm; it's bleeding too much. This is a lab; there's gotta be dressing supplies in here. Maybe I can bandage it up for you."

Leon frowned. "Sara, we don't have time for--"

Sara wiped her tears away roughly and looked at him sternly. "If you're gonna try to save my skin, you'd better take care of yours first."

Leon exhaled sharply. He couldn't argue the point. "Fair enough," he replied.

Sara made her way to a cabinet with glass doors, amazingly steady after having been subjected to sedation. Clearly another side effect of the virus' development: increased drug metabolism.

"It's locked!" Sara declared agitatedly.

Leon quickly solved the problem by smashing the glass with the butt of his gun, clearing out the shards with its barrel.

"That works," Sara remarked. She snatched up a bottle of alcohol and a roll of gauze. "There's no tape, so we'll have to improvise. Lend me your knife, will you?"

Leon complied. He watched, intrigued, as Sara got to work with surprising celerity and skill. She tore off the remainder of his sleeve and tossed it aside then poured some alcohol on her hands to cleanse them. She glanced at Leon pointedly, apprising him of her intention to use it on him. He nodded, and Sara proceeded to pour the alcohol onto the wound, eliciting a breathless grunt and a grimace from Leon.

"Sorry."

"No; you're doing fine," he said huskily. 

Leon watched Sara intently, impressed at how poised she was as she carefully wiped away the gore. Her hands trembled slightly, but she remained focused. She was an admirably multifaceted individual.

"What happened to your parents?" he asked, suddenly curious to learn more about her.

Sara paused an instant at the question then shrugged. "The usual misery bit," she said. "My dad skipped out on Mom and me when I was five. When I was eighteen, my mom got sick. A year later, she died of a heart attack.  
"I had to quit college and settle for the first job that came along. I worked a lot of crappy jobs. TruCare was actually the best one." Sara snickered. "Talk about irony."

Sara cut a measure of gauze and wadded it up. "Hold this over the cut."

Leon obeyed. "I'm sorry," he said softly, gazing at her dolefully. He understood the pain of loss all too well.

Sara nodded quietly and proceeded to wrap more gauze around Leon's arm to secure the wad in place.

"You're pretty good at this," he said presently.

"Thanks. I've seen field dressings done in so many movies and games, I got curious and checked it out on YouTube."

Leon looked at Sara appreciatively. "You're a very remarkable and interesting woman," he said earnestly. "You shouldn't undervalue yourself."

Sara's movements suspended momentarily at his words. She glanced at him furtively and exhaled softly before resuming. "Thanks, but it's the world that does the appraising," she said acerbically. 

She shook her head. "It's so funny. The media talks a load of crap about dreams and opportunity; about coming together and being united." Sara huffed. "Pack of lies; all of it. When push comes to shove, no one offers you a hand up. In a world that's so connected, people have never been more disconnected. It's never been easier to be alone."

Leon nodded. "I know what you mean. The world's nuts. It stopped making sense to me after Raccoon City. But trust me, at the end of the day, the only appraisal that really matters is your own."

Sara tied the gauze in a sturdy knot and met Leon's gaze directly. There was a spark in her deep brown eyes that kindled Leon to his core. "I'll keep that in mind… if I survive this," she said.

"You will," Leon affirmed. "I really believe you're gonna rise from this... like the Phoenix."

Sara straightened up thoughtfully. "I like that. The Dragon names the Phoenix," she said, gesturing to him.

Leon raised his brows. "Me? Dragon?"

"Yeah: fierce, powerful guardian. It suits you."

Nonplussed, Leon looked up at her then away again, his brow furrowed. He had never thought of himself that way.

Sara glanced down at her handiwork and nodded. "Done."

Leon inspected it. "Good field dressing. Thanks."

Sara smiled slightly then looked at him with a troubled aspect. "Leon, Devon Ramsey is on his way here. He wants a live viewing of my… transformation." She glanced up at the clock. "I think he'll be here in about a half hour."

Leon sighed gutturally. "This party's starting to get a little too crowded for my taste. The Defense Department's gotten antsy about the situation here. They plan on bombing the island."

Sara blanched.

"I called in a favor with my friend who's leading the extraction unit here. He's bought us some time, but I won't sugarcoat it. If we're not off this island before the fighter jet gets here--"

"Game over," Sara murmured. She hissed suddenly, gripping the wrist where she wore the monitor. 

"What is it?"

"This thing just pricked me," she said. She looked at it, and her very lips went white. 

Leon quickly took her arm and checked the monitor. "Cellular fusion at thirty percent. Conversion complete in twenty six minutes." Leon's eyes snapped up to Sara. "This thing was at twenty four percent with an hour estimate!"

"That was before you disconnected the decelerant," Sara informed him.

"Damn it! That means fusion is occurring at a rate of fifteen percent every five minutes!" Leon mused anxiously.

"I told you, Leon: it's hopeless." Sara turned away from him.

Leon stepped around her, resisting the desire to gently take her face in his hands and make her look at him. Instead he sought out her gaze, his countenance set austerely. "Hey, I don't plan on giving up without a fight. Don't you dare quit on me now."

Sara sighed. "How can you be so damn optimistic in the face of all this?"

Leon blinked. "What good's the alternative? Besides, I'm hoping some of it will rub off on you."

Sara's mouth curved into a wry smile. 

"That's a start. Now, stick close. I'm anticipating nothing short of hell."

Weapons drawn, Leon led the way out of the lab, Sara at his heels with only a safety cushion of space between them. 

"So what's your plan?" whispered Sara.

"Head for the garage as we originally intended, grab a vehicle, head for the main facility, find the vaccine, get you cured, get the hell out of here," Leon enumerated.

"Yeah? What about the soldiers and B.O.W.s? They're not just gonna let us waltz out of here," Sara reasoned.

"Nope. That's why the plan's subject to change without notice," Leon replied. 

"Oh, God…"

"Let's move!"

Leon and Sara began winding their way through the corridors. Suddenly, a loud, blaring alarm sounded through the halls. The lights went down, replaced by red warning lights. Leon stopped in his tracks, Sara drawing up close behind him.

"That's not good."

"Red alert! Red alert! Facility security compromised. Security breach protocol activated," the computerized voice declared.

"Ready or not, here we go," Leon remarked.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The clock is ticking to get the vaccine before Sara turns, but there are many obstacles to overcome, and in the interim, the virus is rapidly manifesting in Sara.

Leon pulled out his GPS and handed it to Sara. "You can read one of these, right?"

"Uh… I'm pretty good with Citymapper; I guess I should be able to handle this," Sara replied.

"Good. I'm gonna need you to guide us while I handle whatever comes. Okay?"

"Got it."

Leon forged on ahead, Sara directing him. Three soldiers came charging at them. Leon opened fire instantly, catching each one in their heads or faces. "Keep going, Sara! Which way next?" he called, not waiting to see whether the soldiers had mutated.

"Uh… Left turn!"

Leon led them left. A swarm of soldiers stampeded their way through a narrow corridor. Appraising the situation, he shook his head. "Yeah, that's not happening."

"Sara, get back," he ordered. He took hold of her arm and pulled her around a corner, readying the grenade launcher.

"Ah, jeez," Sara mumbled in dismay.

The group of soldiers emerged, ready to take them down. Leon immediately fired off a grenade. Three soldiers were killed immediately, but two more followed, swearing foully at the carnage that preceded their arrival. Ignoring the bloody scene, they quickly opened fire on Leon who dropped to the floor and returned fire, terminating them swiftly.

Leon sprang to his feet, and taking hold of Sara once again, he dashed down the corridor, pausing only to pick up a fallen assault rifle. 

"I'm gonna have nightmares after this," Sara remarked. "If I live!"

"Okay, which way?" Leon demanded. 

Sara didn't answer. Leon turned to her, frowning. "Sara."

She looked up at him frantically. "I can't-- It's not updating our location!"

The multitudinous sound of screeching and clicking shattered the deathly silence of the corridor. "Damn it! They're mutating," Leon realized.

Panicking, Sara slapped the device into her palm. "C'mon! Work!" she exclaimed.

Leon glanced over to see the screen flicker momentarily before the marker drifted to another location on the GPS map.

Sara gasped in relief. "We go right!" she announced.

As the mutated soldiers came lurching toward them, black tentacles flailing, Leon and Sara took off once again.

They sprinted through various halls, Sara calling out directions at each twist and turn.

"Ah, hell. Were we really that far?!" Leon panted.

"We're almost there!" Sara informed him.

At last they turned through a final pedway. Up ahead they could see the open garage. Several jeeps were lined up as well as a pair of motorcycles. Escape just within their grasp. 

The sound of thunderous galloping made them stop cold. Beneath their feet the floor shook almost as though the facility had been built on a fault line. Leon's breath caught in his chest. There was no mistaking what was causing that commotion. Leon and Sara turned around simultaneously. 

The bounding steps came closer from a distant bend in the pedway. The blood-soaked, mutilated remains of a body were flung onto the main walkway. Leon noted the tattered remnants of a lab coat still clinging to the mangled corpse. His lips curled slightly in disgust at the sight. "That's it for tech number two," he muttered.

"Oh, my God!" Sara moaned.

Following the ravaged body, appeared the newly enlarged bulk of CERBERUS. It snarled as it approached, fresh blood dripping from its maw. The creature slowed its advance momentarily, eyeing Leon and Sara savagely.

"Oh, shit… It's grown!" Leon observed. 

Eyes fixed on CERBERUS, Leon jabbed his arm in the direction of the garage. "Run, Sara! Run!" he ordered his charge.

Sara didn't need to be told twice. She took off at maximum speed as Leon remained behind, grenade launcher in hand.

CERBERUS roared furiously and charged at them. Standing his ground, Leon aimed his weapon and fired. The projectile hit its target dead on. The monster howled; a horrid sound that made Leon double over, his ears ringing. He glanced up, trying to see through the smoke, coughing and gagging at the stench of singed flesh and fur.

"Leon! Come on!" Sara cried, pausing in her headlong rush.

CERBERUS emerged from the smoke cloud, more hideous than ever, its body blackened and oozing bloody mucous. With a thunderous bellow, it bolted toward Leon as though it hadn't been hit at all.

"Go, Sara, go!" Leon shouted. He fired the last grenade at CERBERUS then tossed the expended weapon aside before turning and dashing after Sara. The creature screeched again as the projectile struck it, but it continued its mad charge. 

Leon looked up ahead. Sara had just reached the garage. She was staring at Leon in consternation. "Close the shutter!" he called to her.

"You're not gonna make it!" she worried.

"Do it!" Leon barked.

Sara obeyed, punching the control button.

Leon redoubled his speed, aware that CERBERUS was gaining on him. The shutter descended steadily, rapidly reducing his clearance. Ignoring the stitch that caught his side, Leon exacted one final burst of speed from his body before dropping to the floor in a smooth slide.

He slipped through and rolled safely aside just as the shutter dropped to the floor, effectively sealing them in. Leon lay on his side for a moment, throat burning and lungs aching with every breath. He glanced up to see Sara crouching beside him. She seized his hands in a surprisingly strong grip.

"Get up," she urged. "That shutter's not gonna keep CERBERUS out for long."

"I know," Leon wheezed, gratefully accepting Sara's assistance. He fought back a wave of dizziness as he rose.

As if prompted, CERBERUS crashed forcibly into the shutter. Sara yelped in alarm. Leon reflexively threw his arms around her and whirled her aside, positioning himself between her and the buckling shutter. "Damn it. We've gotta get out of here!"

Pulling Sara back, Leon sought out keys for one of the vehicles. He caught sight of a large pegboard with various keys hanging on it. "Bingo."

"How do we know what key belongs to what?" Sara queried. 

A single key marked Kawasaki stood out. Leon snatched it up and threw a hasty glance around the garage. His eye landed on a sleek blue motorcycle. "There's our ride," he announced.

Leon hit the garage exit button. As the door began to rise, he caught Sara's hand and rushed to the motorcycle. He straddled it quickly, taking note of a pair of fuel drums stored in a corner. He switched out the magazine in his gun for the one with incendiary bullets. "Get on," he directed.

"A motorcycle?" Sara hesitated.

Behind them, CERBERUS rammed into the shutter again. The tough steel bulged dangerously with the impact.

"Now, Sara!"

Sara jumped onto the seat. "Oh, God. This is a night of truly unwanted firsts," she fretted. 

"Hang on tight; this is gonna be one hell of a ride!"

Sara wrapped her arms around Leon's abdomen nervously. 

"C'mon, sweetheart, you can do better than that," he coaxed her.

She tightened her grip almost to the point of constriction.

"Better!" Revving the engine, Leon took off, streaking through the large garage at top speed. As they jetted through the door, the shutter crashed through, battered and warped as though it were merely an aluminum sheet. CERBERUS roared deafeningly as it burst forth.

Leon shot a hasty glance at the side view mirror. The creature was galloping after them furiously. "Get down!" he shouted.

Sara ducked down low behind him. Leon half turned in the seat and, aiming as best as his speed allowed, he shot two rounds at the fuel drums. The bullets hit their mark, resulting in a hellish explosion that rent the air and shook the ground. 

Leon brought the motorcycle to a halt, turning on the seat to see the raging inferno he had caused. The flames roared and raged, reaching into the dark sky. He gazed distrustfully into the blaze, eyes narrowed.

"Is it dead?" Sara asked.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Leon replied grimly.

As if to confirm Leon's misgivings, the hulking, conflagrant form of CERBERUS emerged from the blazing fire, its eyes glowing fiercely.

"Jesus!" exclaimed Sara. "What's it gonna take?!"

Leon revved the engine. "Those damn things are built to last," he said. He circled the bike about and took off again, tires screeching. Behind them CERBERUS gave pursuit yet again albeit at a slower pace.

"You're taking that with a grain of salt," Sara remarked.

"Oh, I'm worried," Leon replied, feeling the telltale knot in his stomach tighten. "But for me, it's just another day at the office."

They zipped down the road, whizzing past tanker trucks lined on either side. CERBERUS bulldozed its way through them, shoving them out of its way and overturning them as Leon zigzagged in an effort to hamper its progress.

Leon's mind raced, searching for another tactic which might prove successful in defeating CERBERUS.

"Leon, look!" Sara said suddenly. She pointed forward at a gleaming silver tanker dead ahead. "A nitrogen tanker! If fire won't kill it--"

"Maybe ice will," Leon concluded.

"Do you have any grenades?"

"Yeah; one."

"Give it to me."

Leon threw Sara a puzzled look through the mirror. "What?"

"I'm gonna blow up the truck," she explained.

Leon hesitated momentarily. The idea of allowing Sara to handle a grenade made him a little edgy, but the thundering of CERBERUS' pursuit decided him. Reluctantly, he removed the grenade and passed it to her. "Be careful," he warned.

He pressed himself down lower on the motorcycle, flooring the pedal. They passed the tanker. "Now, Sara!" he shouted.

Holding onto Leon with one arm, Sara pulled the pin with her teeth, and hurled it at the truck. Leon glanced at the mirror to see the grenade roll under the truck's tractor.

"Oh, man!" Sara exclaimed, clutching Leon in a vise-like grip. "I can't believe I just did that!"

As CERBERUS neared the nitrogen tanker, the grenade went off, and an earsplitting explosion followed. The tanker burst open with the impact of the explosion, spilling liquid nitrogen onto the road.

CERBERUS bounded recklessly into the flaming, gushing wreckage, the nitrogen vapor shrouding it in silvery fog. The quaking ceased as it skidded to a halt, its paws caught in the spreading pool of nitrogen. The creature howled furiously as frost began permeating through its legs, rising rapidly over its haunches.

Leon slowed the motorcycle down and braked into a u-turn to face the blazing spectacle of fire and ice. Through the swirling mist of frost, he could see the monster's eyes smoldering. It tried to raise its tail to lash its spikes again, but the nitrogen had done its job; CERBERUS was frozen up to its shoulders. It bellowed in frustration, straining ferociously to escape its icy bonds.

"Oh, no you don't," Leon muttered. "This shit ends now. Sara, stay here."

"What're you gonna do?" she inquired, dismounting.

"I'm gonna teach an undead dog a new trick: how to stay dead."

With that, he revved the engine loudly and took off once more, heading straight for CERBERUS. Bracing himself for the painful impact, he leaped off the motorcycle leaving the unmanned vehicle to rush on.

Fueled by adrenaline and fury, Leon rose, ignoring the pain that exploded through his body. He drew the gun loaded with incendiary bullets. Setting his jaw, he aimed at the motorcycle's gas tank, waiting for the right moment to fire. The motorcycle maintained its course, plowing directly into the nearly-frozen monster. Just as the motorcycle collided with it, Leon fired. The bullet streaked through the air and struck true. The motorcycle exploded, and CERBERUS burst apart, sending shards of glaciated mutant flesh raining everywhere. 

"Good boy," he whispered. He gripped his left arm, newly injured after the spectacular stunt he had just performed and glared at the scene with fierce satisfaction. Sara's running footsteps came up behind him.

"Leon! Leon, are you okay?!" she asked, stopping beside him, eyes wide.

Leon turned to her. "Yeah, I'm okay," he said with a nod. "But that dog just had its day."

Sara stared at the flaming wreckage. "Whoa. That was insane. Awesome, but insane. You're a little crazy, you know that?" she said.

Leon shrugged lightly. "Yeah; little bit, I guess."

"Well, we lost our ride. Now how do we get to the tower?"

Leon turned back to look at the end of the road. The building loomed ahead of them. They weren't very far now, but a vehicle would still save them considerable time. His pensive gaze fell on a deadhead truck. "We'll grab ourselves a new ride," he replied. "Come on."

Leon jogged over to the truck, Sara closely behind him. "Drivers usually keep a spare key somewhere inside. If we're lucky, we'll find one."

"Can you drive a tractor trailer?" Sara asked incredulously.

"Can't be any worse than flying a commercial jet," he answered, climbing the steps to the door.

"You've piloted an airplane, too?"

"Technically, crash-landed," Leon replied as he smashed the glass with the butt of his gun. "But you know what they say: any landing you can walk away from…" He unlocked the door then jumped back down to open it. A distant noise made him stop cold. 

"What is it?" asked Sara. 

Leon raised his hand to silence her, listening hard. A far-off screech echoed over the island. Realization dawned on him. Two harpies had attacked earlier. He had managed to kill one, but the other had seized Sara and vanished.

"It's back," he said, looking up at the cloudy sky intently. 

"What is?" Sara whispered anxiously.

"The other harpy."He raised his gun, anticipating the imminent threat. Silence reigned, but the tension was thick. "Where are you?"

Suddenly, a large figure swooped down from the shadows, diving for Leon. He immediately fired two shots, but the harpy evaded the bullets easily. She struck him hard and fast in the thorax, hurtling him into the truck as she ascended again, hissing and shrieking. 

"Leon!" Sara screamed in horror.

Leon slid down to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. His chest ached from the blow, and his heart beat slowly. He raised his eyes, struggling to breathe. His sight was obscured by sudden tunnel vision, but he discerned the harpy coming back around, this time heading for Sara. Leon dragged himself forward several paces and attempted to rise, but he quickly collapsed, gasping for air.

Sara turned and ran, crying out in alarm as the harpy dove for her.

"No…" Leon exhaled. He writhed weakly in frustration as he watched the scene, powerless to help.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the virus rapidly bonding with Sara's blood, strange manifestations are taking place, and the pair are running out of time to find the vaccine.

Sara tore off, the shrieking harpy darting after her. Terror made her agile, but the creature was lightning-quick. She reached out to grab Sara, but she ducked and rolled out of her path.

Enraged, the harpy screeched deafeningly and soared upward once more, preparing to come about. Sara threw a wild gaze around her, searching desperately for Leon. He lay outstretched on the pavement, his eyes staring at her glazily. Her heart sank; he couldn't save her now.

Sara scrambled to her feet, hearing the harpy's vicious cries and the distant beating of her powerful wings. Panic shot through her, rooting her to the spot as she saw the harpy's outline nearing her once again.

As she stared in helpless horror, a strange stillness came over her. Her will seemed eclipsed and dominated by a foreign inhuman presence lurking within her mind. Her own consciousness remained intact, however, and it recoiled at what followed.

Fury and bloodthirst surged through Sara. Her head snapped up to gaze on the harpy with smoldering ochre eyes, her teeth bared in a monstrous snarl. In the recesses of her mind, Sara was filled with terror, but the dark entity within her reigned, seizing control over her body. She took on a challenging stance, hissing and growling tauntingly at the harpy.

The harpy accepted the challenge, screeching as she dove toward Sara, her spindly yet strong arms outstretched. Sara would have sprinted away, but her alter ego had other ideas. Electrical charges coursed through her body, emanating from her pores in scintillating orange currents. The harpy plunged, swiping at Sara. She evaded the harpy with ease, snatching her left wing even as the creature rushed past.

Sara wrestled the harpy to the pavement. The harpy snapped and shrieked, trying to claw at Sara, but the struggle was short lived. A burst of orange electricity burst forth from Sara's hands, engulfing the harpy and causing her to convulse and shriek deafeningly. Blood oozed from the harpy's eyes and mouth, her gray skin charring rapidly. Sara cringed inwardly at the demonic laugh that issued from her own throat.

Seconds later, the harpy was reduced to a blackened heap of smoking bones and scorched wings that glowed with fading embers. Sara threw the corpse away from her, hissing triumphantly.

The oppressive alter ego suddenly receded, releasing Sara's will once again. Enervated, Sara dropped to her knees, gasping and retching. She caught sight of the steaming remains beside her and quickly scrambled backward, exclaiming inarticulately.

Struggling to compose herself, Sara sought her fallen guardian. She froze in dismay at the sight of Leon now lying splayed out on his back, motionless. With a soft cry, Sara rose hastily, her head swimming at the sudden movement. She stumbled forward toward Leon.

Sara knelt and surveyed him cursorily, her heart hammering in her chest. She brushed his bangs away from his face. Her blood ran cold. His eyes, half-open, stared glassily at the sky, giving no indication of life. 

"No, Leon. No. Stay with me!" Sara straddled Leon. She laid her head against his chest, listening for a heartbeat and hoping to feel even a wisp of breath from his parted lips. She was rewarded with the feeble yet unmistakable throb of his heart. The faint warmth of a shallow exhalation brushed over Sara's forehead.

Anxiously, Sara straightened herself and began performing CPR on Leon. "Don't you dare die on me!" she cried

Leon's eyelids fluttered, but his eyes shut instantly, and he showed no further sign of reviving. "No, no, no! Come on. Come back!" Sara set to work on him afresh, mastering the desperation that nearly suffocated her. 

Sara paused, staring at him with bated breath, but still Leon remained unresponsive. Sara moaned frantically. "Wake up!" She pounded on his chest in despair. "Please!"

Leon's eyes flew open wide. He gasped sharply before bursting into a fit of coughing. Relief flooded Sara, and she quickly leaped off of him, breathless with elation.

Leon turned on his side, still racked by the bout of violent coughing. At last the attack subsided. He groaned deeply, clutching his chest. Panting heavily, he looked up at Sara.

"I'm sorry I was rough," Sara said, smiling weakly. "Your heart practically stopped. I didn't know what else to do."

Leon shook his head. "No; thanks for bringing me back online." He drew a labored breath and, sitting up with some difficulty, he glanced over at the incinerated harpy just yards away. He exhaled sharply, a pensive frown petrifying his features.

Sara followed his gaze, her heart dropping. "I... did that," she whispered.

"I know," Leon replied quietly. "I couldn't move, but I saw it."

Sara sat back on her heels, trembling uncontrollably. "I-I don't even know how I did it. It's like... something else took over." Her voice rose, terror reaching fever-pitch as she recalled the sensation of being a prisoner in her own mind. "I could see, hear and feel everything, but I couldn't control my own body. It was like looking through someone else's eyes."

Sara turned a wild gaze on Leon, roused almost to hysteria. "I didn't do that; Nyx did! I'm losing control of myself. I'm becoming a demon!" she exclaimed.

Leon took Sara's face in his hands firmly but gently, startling her. She fixed her stormy eyes on his somber, collected countenance. "Sara, I know you're scared, but you've got to calm down," he said quietly. 

Sara glowered at him. "With every passing minute, I get closer to losing my humanity. Excuse me if I'm not cucumber cool!" she snapped. 

Leon sat back, leaning on his hands, and looked at her calmly. "When I was deployed to rescue the First Daughter years back, I was captured and implanted with a parasite that hatched in my body and latched onto my central nervous system. It started altering my thoughts and controlling my actions. I almost killed my companion." Leon's brow furrowed momentarily at that.

He looked back at Sara. "I know what you're going through; I've been where you are. But I believe we can beat this. You've gotta hold on."

Sara sheepishly averted his intense gaze regretting her misdirected fury. She thought of his undemonstrative kindness and of his unexpected, comforting embrace in the lab. "I'm sorry," she said humbly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you; it was uncalled for."

Leon shook his head dismissively. "Forget it."

A sharp prick from the monitor made her hiss softly. "This thing just stuck me again," she muttered.

Leon took her arm and checked the monitor. He glanced up at Sara gravely. "Forty five percent," he informed her.

Sara set her jaw but said nothing.

"The clock's ticking. We'd better get moving," Leon said. 

Sara nodded and started to her feet.

"Hey, Sara? Give me a hand, will you?" Leon asked.

Sara smiled and extended her hand to him. "Kinda strange hearing you ask me for help."

Leon took her hand and pulled himself up. "Foolish pride isn't one of my faults," he said with a low chuckle. He pressed her hand reassuringly, his bare fingers warm against her cold, clammy skin. 

Despite the petrifying fear that gripped her, Sara's heart beat a little faster at his comforting touch. She managed a weak smile. 

Leon and Sara turned simultaneously as a chorus of hisses and guttural moans joined the din of roaring flames. An approaching group of undead was closing in on them.

"That's our cue," Leon said. "C'mon!"

Sara followed him around to the driver's side of the truck. She climbed in and scooted over to the passenger seat, Leon hurrying in after her. She watched anxiously as he searched the glove compartment and under the visor fruitlessly.

Sara looked out the window to see a small cluster of zombies stumble onto the road. "They're getting closer," she said urgently.

"Yeah..." Leon rummaged around the truck. He suddenly tore up the floor liner. "Got it!" he announced triumphantly. He turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life.

Sara started as the incoming zombies began pounding on the door.

"No hitchhikers," Leon said. He stomped on the gas pedal and the rig took off. Turning onto the center of the road, Leon accelerated.

Sara leaned forward in her seat wide-eyed. More zombies were appearing in the truck's path. "God! They keep coming!" she gasped.

Leon's eyes narrowed, a scowl marring his face. He bent his head determinedly as he plowed through the gathering throng of undead. The decayed bodies thudded loudly against the grill and hood of the truck.

The gate to the tower was now clearly visible, lit by security floodlights on either side. Sara looked up ahead at the imposing wrought iron gate. "How're we gonna get in?"

"I'm gonna knock. Brace yourself!" Leon shouted.

Sara leaned back in her seat and ducked down, instantly recognizing Leon's intentions.

The truck roared as it rushed forward at breakneck speed. The distance closed rapidly, and the next moment, the truck barreled into the gate. A deafening, jarring collision followed as the iron groaned and collapsed in a heap of battered, warped metal. Leon drove through the portal and on through the tower's steel doors.

At last he brought the truck to a screeching stop, the rig now resting on a mound of rubble halfway within a darkened antechamber.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Sara are close to the vaccine, but Sara is becoming dangerously unpredictable. Will they make it in time to stop the acceleration of the virus?

“You okay?” asked Leon as he leaned back from the steering wheel.

Sara wriggled herself upright and looked over the dashboard at the dimly lit chaos of the room beyond. “Yeah, I’m good,” she answered.

“All right. Let’s get moving. But stay alert. We don’t know what Ramsey’s got cooked up in here.”

Nodding, Sara opened the door and hopped out of the truck. She looked around warily. The place was dark and deathly silent. “I don’t imagine there’s a light switch around here,” she remarked as Leon came up beside her, weapons drawn.

At the word “light”, a row of bright recessed lights came on, bathing the room in a blaze of fluorescent illumination. 

“Voice-activated lighting,” Leon said. "Okay."

Behind them a portcullis-style gate slammed down, halted by the high roof of the truck.

“The lights aren’t the only thing we activated,” Sara said uneasily.

“Looks like we tripped a silent alarm,” Leon noted. “God knows what else has been set off besides that gate. Try to be as quiet as possible and stay close.”

Oddly, as large as it was, the room was sparsely furnished. Long sideboard tables with runners and empty candelabras flanked the long walkways, but aside from a pair of plain benches at the end of the hall, the room was bare. A long staircase with ornate banisters wound upward to a shadowy landing.

“The vaccine’s probably up there,” Leon whispered, pointing with a gun. “C’mon.”

A wave of nausea swept over Sara, and the room seemed to suddenly roll. She gasped, tripping over her own feet and crashing into Leon. “Oh! I’m sorry!” she exclaimed, trying to steady herself.

Leon turned to help her, his expression grim. Sara looked up at him dully. Her body ached, and an unpleasant, feverish chill made her shiver. “Sorry,” she repeated lamely. “I’m a little dizzy,” she whispered.

“Just hang on a little longer,” Leon said gently. “We’ll find the vaccine. We're close, I know it.”

Weary and too dejected to disagree, Sara nodded feigned assent. But she was beginning to believe that even if they found it, it would be too late. “I’m okay. Let's go."

Inclining his head, Leon moved on. Feet feeling leaden, Sara followed. She balked suddenly, an eerie feeling coming over her. "Wait," she hissed. "I feel like something's… lurking."

Leon halted, listening with her. For a moment there was nothing but deathly silence. They both stood stock still, scarcely breathing. Presently, the low sound of grating stone broke the vault-like hush of the tower. A metallic scraping noise followed, drawing closer with each passing second. Heavy footfalls joined the scraping. Sara and Leon exchanged uncomfortable glances.

“Get behind me,” Leon said.

Sara obeyed helplessly. What horror was advancing now?

A creature stepped out from a panel hidden in the wall. It towered over them, its extremities asymmetrical and abnormally bulky. A yellowish pus-like fluid seeped from incisions that had been sloppily sutured with large staples. Its left hand had apparently been severed, and in its place was a stump sealed with a metal cap from which hung a massive chain that ended in a spiked iron sphere the size of a cannonball.

The monster glared at them from a single large, protruding eye; the right eye having been gouged out and covered by a piece of metal bolted to its skull. It roared angrily. The sight was gruesome and terrifying, as its lower jaw had been ripped off, and its long, thick tongue lobbed over its wide chest. Bloody saliva dripped perpetually from its mouth, forming a puddle at its gargantuan feet. A pulsating, yellow-green sac protruded from its neck.

“Oh, Jesus!” moaned Sara. “What do we do?!”

“You stay back. I’ll… improvise.”

So saying, Leon opened fire. Dark blood shot forth from the B.O.W.’s wounds, but it seemed unaffected. It roared, spraying foul spittle at them. Sara rushed away to a far corner of the room, watching the scene in terror. The monster lifted its flail-like appendage and swung it at Leon. “No!”

Leon leaped out of the way just as the ball sailed through the air. The ball smashed into the marble wall, shattered pieces soaring everywhere like shrapnel. Leon rolled away and into a crouching stance, shooting again. The monster only growled and advanced, leaving a trail of blood as it moved, the ball scraping behind it.

Sara moved out from her corner and dove behind a sideboard just a few feet away from the B.O.W. Hardly considering her next move, Sara took hold of a candelabra and flung it at the creature’s back. It roared and whirled around, flailing the ball around with it. The deadly weapon decimated the sideboard, dashing it into a shower of splinters. Sara cried out in alarm as she tried desperately to move out of the monster’s path, but in her fear, she tripped over her own feet and fell flat on her behind. “Oh, God…”

“Sara, get away from there!” Leon shouted.

But it was too late. The monster seized her by the neck and raised her up from the floor bodily, bringing her level to its horrifying face. Sara struggled, her feet dangling in the air helplessly. The creature seemed to analyze her curiously for a moment, but it tightened its grip quickly. Sara kicked furiously as the pressure against her larynx increased. Gasping, she began clawing at the creature’s face, pounding at its head wildly. Two more gunshots rang out, but the monster hardly seemed to notice, so intent was it on terminating its victim.

Sara’s vision began to dim, darkness closing out the sight of the monster's disfigured visage. On the verge of unconsciousness, Sara frantically clutched at the B.O.W., her hand falling on its bleeding tongue. She grabbed it and tugged hard. The monster bellowed and dropped Sara. It roared deafeningly and made an effort to stomp on her.

Coughing, Sara rolled aside, avoiding the giant foot by mere inches. The B.O.W. advanced in another attempt to crush her, but at that moment, a gunshot rang out. Sara saw a splatter of yellow-green fluid gush from its neck. The next instant, the creature keeled over then fell to one side in a lifeless heap.

Leon was beside her immediately, helping her up. “You okay?" he asked.

Sara drew breath with some difficulty, looking over his shoulder at the monstrous corpse. “Are you sure it's dead?"

“Yeah. That sac on its neck--that was its vulnerable point. I’m sorry it didn’t occur to me sooner. Can you move?”

At last Sara looked directly at Leon. She blinked and ran a hand over her face as if to clear her mind. “Yeah. Sure, I can walk.” She wiped the hand with which she had seized the creature's tongue against her clothes. "Ugh. Disgusting." She glanced down at the B.O.W. “It’s like Frankenstein’s monster,” she remarked.

“Yeah. Picasso’s got nothing on the sadistic bastards that make these things,” Leon answered. “C’mon. Let’s see where these stairs lead."

Leon led the way up the black marble staircase to the tower's next level. Sara followed him with some difficulty, each step feeling like a mountain climb. A bone-deep chill made her tremble.

Again Sara felt her will being eclipsed; a terrifyingly savage impulse laid hold of her and her eyes took on the same sickly yellow hue as before. She looked up at Leon's ascending figure and began imagining his warm flesh between her teeth. The thought of tasting his blood drove her into a frenzy. She bared her teeth in a devilish snarl as she crept stealthily behind Leon. Hissing softly, she pounced on his back. 

Leon exclaimed in surprise as Sara leaped at him, snapping and snarling ferally. The two grappled fiercely with each other. "Sara, you've gotta fight it!" Leon shouted above her inhuman growls.

Sara screeched in rage, wrestling with him vigorously. Despite Leon's strength and stature, Sara nearly overpowered him. He twisted her around, pressing her hard against the wall. With a wild shriek, she wrenched herself out of his grasp, causing both of them to lose their balance and roll back down the stairs.

Although somewhat disoriented, Sara rose to her knees and again lunged at Leon, savage in her hunger.

Leon caught her deftly, rolling her over and pressing her to the floor, his hands pinning her wrists down firmly. "Come on, Sara! You can beat the virus' impulses. Come back; fight it!"

His words broke through Sara's frenzy. Her mind cleared and her eyes returned to normal. She went rigid as she realized what had just happened. Sara turned her gaze up to Leon's somber face. He was working to control his rapid breathing as he met her terror-stricken eyes.

"Okay. That's it. You're back in control," he assured her. 

A horrified shudder shot through Sara's tense frame. "Oh, God… Oh, God! The virus is spreading faster; it's taking over," she gasped. Sara stifled a sob, the effort tearing her voice as she declared: "You're gonna have to kill me."

Leon's eyes narrowed slightly. "No."

That monosyllabic refusal uttered so quietly and definitely made Sara frantic. "Leon, you have to! I could've killed you! Next time you might not be able to stop me." She raised herself slightly. "Please, kill me!"

Leon relaxed his grip. "No," he reiterated.

Sara's eyes widened as a flash of desperation coursed through her. Her distraught gaze fell upon the gun holstered to Leon's thigh. She pushed his arm aside and reached for it.

Leon uttered an unintelligible exclamation. He caught her hand even as her fingers brushed the grip. Once more he pinioned her arms securely against the floor. "What are you doing?!" he cried. "Are you crazy?"

Sara writhed fiercely. "If my death will save you and the rest of the world, then why won't you just end it?!" she expostulated.

"I know what has to be done. If it comes to that, believe me, I will take care of it. But I refuse to just quit--not when we're this close to finding the vaccine. I'm not willing to murder you!"

The vehemence in Leon's voice stunned Sara into silence. Her eyes locked onto his. Strange gleams flashed in those ardent blue orbs as he watched her from behind his bangs, now falling just inches away from Sara's face. She stared at him dumbly, unable to suppress her tears any longer. They gushed out, unrestrained. 

"But it's not murder," she quavered at length. "You're doing your job; you're protecting the world. I--"

"Don't," Leon interrupted, shaking his head resolutely. Hesitating briefly, he relented, releasing Sara's arms and withdrawing. He exhaled sharply as he took her hand and pulled her into a sitting position. Heaving a gusty sigh, Leon sat on the last stairstep, swiping the sweat from his brow.

Sara composed herself, hastily wiping away her tears. "There's no changing your mind, is there?" she asked, working to steady her voice. 

Leon shook his head. "The subject's not open for discussion. I told you: I don't give up easily." He turned to look at her.

Sara stared at him in disbelief and chuckled mirthlessly. "God, I wish I could be dauntless like you."

Leon blinked slowly, glancing at the fallen B.O.W. just feet away. "I'm not fearless," he said. "I just use my fear and anger as weapons against psychos like Ramsey." His eyes slid back to Sara. "You've got a hell of a lot of courage--enough to be willing to sacrifice yourself for the greater good. That's admirable, but now I wanna see you fight for your life."

Sara met his piercing gaze. In that moment she imbibed a small portion of his strength and tenacity. She inhaled deeply. "Well, if you can go this far out on a limb to try to save me, the least I can do is cooperate, I guess."

Leon chuckled quietly. "Okay. Good enough," he said.

"Thank you," she said softly. "Not just for trying to protect me, but… for your encouragement."

Leon inclined his head.

"Okay, just… give me a minute," she said. She lifted herself onto the step beside him and bowed her head. "God, I'm so tired," she sighed. 

Sara started slightly when Leon lifted her chin gently, raising her head to look up at him. Surprising tenderness tempered the usual solemnity of his handsome features. He caressed her cheek, regarding her with an inscrutable expression. They sat for a moment, gazes locked, then Leon leaned toward her tentatively. Sara's heart skipped a beat. "Leon…" she whispered. 

He hesitated and looked at her searchingly, halting only for an objection. But Sara had no mind to protest. She watched him with puzzled expectancy. Receiving no remonstrance, Leon moved in closer, his eyes dropping to her lips. The warmth of his being made her blood rush. She closed her eyes with bated breath as Leon kissed her softly.

A charge shot through Sara at the slightly rough sensation of Leon's lips upon hers, and she marveled at the paradoxical gentleness of this formidable fighter. She expected him to withdraw, but he stunned her anew by kissing her again, urgingly. Leon’s silent, tactile entreaty was impossible to deny, but less so than Sara’s own sudden longing. Setting aside her usual judgment, she reciprocated the kiss. 

Leon drew her closer to him until their bodies were flush, and she felt the damp heat of his body against her own chilled skin. Sara gingerly twined her arms around him, careful not to aggravate his wounds, and indulged in his warm, comforting embrace. 

She had never experienced such a kiss: strangely solemn and breathtakingly intense though not deep. Sara ran her fingers through Leon's hair, pressing herself against him, fears and emotions swirling wildly.

Leon broke the kiss abruptly and stared bemusedly at Sara, his brow slightly furrowed. "I think I got carried away," he remarked.

Sara tore her eyes away from his full lips to see his serious expression. Leon's shift in mood suddenly made her feel self-conscious. "Do you kiss all the girls you try to rescue?" she asked bluntly.

"No," he replied decidedly. "That was actually out of character for me." His grave tone made it difficult to discredit his sincerity, and his fixed look plainly intimated that he had no regrets.

Sara felt oddly reassured.

Leon exhaled sharply, his eye falling on her viral meter, and his expression darkened. "We need to keep moving," he said. "We're running out of time."

Terror ran icy fingers down Sara's spine. “Yeah,” she agreed.

They began their ascent once more. The long, winding flight of steps led to a long gallery flanked by a door on each side. Leon tried each one, but they were locked. “Damn it,” he muttered.

Sara looked ahead at the end of the gallery and spotted an elevator. “Leon, look,” she said, pointing.

Leon nodded. “We might be in business if it’s not coded or locked,” he said.

Leon hurried through the gallery, Sara doing her best to keep up with him. The hall seemed to tilt suddenly. Sara’s head swam and her legs gave way. She collapsed into a stunned heap. Leon halted immediately and rushed back to her. He dropped to one knee beside her.

Sara lifted herself up, heaving a shuddering sigh as a bout of shivering seized her. "Everything just seemed to spin," she panted. "God, I'm so cold!"

Leon laid his hand against the side of her neck. "You're burning up," he observed, his expression severe. "I can carry you."

Sara shook her head. "No. You need to be free to deal with anything we might come across."

Leon sighed gutturally. "You're sure you can walk?"

Sara bobbed her head.

Leon helped her stand. Sara swayed unsteadily, but managed to keep her footing. “I’m okay; I got it.”

After ascertaining that Sara could stand unaided, Leon took her by the wrist and led her along the gallery to the elevator. He signaled her to stand aside after pressing the button. They hung back cautiously, but the elevator opened without incident.

Leon took hold of Sara once more and they boarded the elevator, heading to the unknown regions above.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon has successfully located the vaccine, but they're not out of the woods yet! It's anyone's guess how Sara will react now that she has been exposed to the virus so long.

Leon’s fingers tightened around the grip of his gun as he observed Sara. Her face had gone ashen, her lips bloodless. Perspiration beaded her forehead, and she drew her breath strenuously.

He remembered his own experience with the parasite that had been implanted in him. The pain had become excruciating as the parasite had matured within his body. Now, watching Sara suffer thus was agonizing.

Sara grunted softly and looked up at him, meeting his grave gaze with a small, determined smile. He inclined his head at her encouragingly, his pulse quickening slightly as he recalled the kiss they had just shared. 

He had never felt so compelled to take such a liberty while on duty, not even when he had met the double agent he had namelessly referred to with Sara.

Leon had met that enigmatic agent, Ada Wong, back in Raccoon City. She had deceived him into believing she was an FBI agent seeking to bring down those behind the outbreak, even stealing a kiss as she urged him to help her. But In reality, she had merely been using him, appealing to his magnanimity, in order to secure a virus sample for her employer. Despite this, he had been immensely attracted to her. She had left a lasting impression on him.

But not even Ada, seductively cool and aloof as she was, had challenged his austere discipline as Sara did. She was a stark contrast to Ada. Whereas Ada was apathetic and haughty, Sara was noble, warm and devoid of egotistical pride. Her kind and courageous spirit had engendered growing affection as well as a powerful attraction. The thought of losing her to this virus was harrowing.

"Leon, come in." Hunnigan's voice in his ear startled Leon out of his reverie.

"Yeah, Hunnigan. I read you," he replied.

"Thank God. I was getting worried. There was an interruption on satellite visuals, and I hadn't heard anything from you for a while."

"Sorry about that. Things have been very… tense to say the least," Leon replied.

"Okay. Can I get a sitrep?"

"I've got Sara. We're in the main tower now. According to a source, the vaccine is here somewhere. We may be cutting it fine, but we've still got some time."

"How is Sara holding up?" Hunnigan inquired.

Leon glanced at Sara who was regarding him alertly despite her worn countenance.

"She's hanging on," he replied. As he spoke, the elevator halted and the doors opened. "We made it to the top floor. Keep your fingers crossed for us."

Leon disconnected and beckoned to Sara. She staggered forward and stumbled into him as she advanced. He caught her quickly.

Sara grimaced in frustration. "Damn it! It's getting harder to walk," she said dully.

Leon draped her arm across his shoulders and twined his arm around her waist. Thus he half led, half supported Sara out into a dim corridor.

His eyes scanning the hall, gun ready, Leon proceeded. The bare oxblood walls seemed to close in on them. Matte black floors gave the disconcerting illusion of walking into a tar pit. At the end of the hall was a large, ornate double door made of copper.

Together they hobbled toward the door.

"Whaddya bet the damn thing's locked?" Sara remarked

"Think positive," Leon answered.

"Okay. I'll just try thinking about raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, and all my other favorite things." Sara's mouth twitched wryly before twisting into a grimace.

Leon exhaled quietly. He laid his forefinger lightly against her cheek briefly, but said nothing. Instead he cautiously tried the knob.

"C'mon. Luck be a lady…"

The knob turned easily, and the door opened smoothly. Leon peered inside. The room was dark and still. After a moment's wary hesitation, Leon pushed the door in then retreated hastily, guns in hand.

But nothing happened. Sara and Leon exchanged glances then slowly stepped in. A row of fluorescent lights immediately flicked on, revealing the room.

"Ah, shit. You gotta be kidding me," Leon grumbled.

"Oh, no…" Sara groaned.

The brightly lit room was completely empty except for five enormous paintings hung on gilded walls of royal purple. Two paintings flanked each wall, and at the far end hung the largest painting of the five, this one illuminated by a brilliant LED art light.

Leon took hold of Sara again and led her further in. 

"Paintings? Paintings?!" exclaimed Sara, squeezing Leon's shoulder in despair.

Carefully releasing her, Leon looked around. "It just doesn't make sense. Who would build a tower for a bioterrorist research facility just to recreate the damn Metropolitan Museum?"

He stepped forward, hands on hips, glowering at each painting in turn. The first painting on the left wall depicted a richly dressed woman sitting beside a warrior while she emptied a small bottle into a golden chalice. "Jason and Medea," he read on the plaque. 

The second picture illustrated a seated lady handing a ball of string to a warrior leaning toward her. "Ariadne and Theseus."

Leon turned to the right to face the third painting: the representation of a bare-breasted blonde woman leaning seductively toward a powerful-looking man seated on a bed. "Zeus and Metis."

The fourth painting showed a blinded cyclops fumbling around in agony as a troop of men hung from the bodies of sheep escaping a cave. "'Odysseus and Polyphemus'." Leon sighed exasperatedly. "Okay. So the guy's into Greek art. What's the point?"

"Traitors," Sara said faintly.

"What?" Leon turned to her.

"They're all portrayals of some of Greek mythology's most heinous betrayals. Jason and Medea betrayed each other: he left her for a princess, she retaliated by murdering their children.   
"Ariadne helped Theseus, who was to be sacrificed to her minotaur half brother, kill the creature. Theseus then abandoned her.   
"Zeus slept with Metis, but when he found out she would produce heirs that would overthrow him, he tricked her into transforming into a fly then ate her.   
"Odysseus got Polyphemus the Cyclops drunk then poked his eye out. He and his men escaped the cyclops' den by hiding beneath sheep."

Leon scoffed. "Charming fairytales," he remarked. "I can't believe you know all this stuff."

Sara chuckled weakly. "Too much time alone. Had to find something to do."

Leon maintained a thoughtful silence. At length he nodded. "It makes perfect sense for a mind like Devon Ramsey's. He was fired from his first job as researcher, and he's been holding a grudge all these years for being slighted. He considered that the ultimate betrayal. Looks like we've found his inner sanctum."

"Great. How does that help us find the vaccine?"

"These paintings are some of his most personal treasured possessions. Not just because they're expensive, but because they're symbols of his experience. He empathizes with those betrayed. I'd say we're in his treasure vault, and where better to hide something as important as the vaccine?"

Sara's eyebrows shot up. "You think it's hidden here somewhere."

"Right. A hidden switch, maybe even a secret passageway."

Leon proceeded to feel over all four paintings in search of a button, a tab or lever of some kind. He came away unsuccessful. "Damn…"

He crossed the room to the gargantuan painting on the far end. "This isn't an ancient Greek scene," he noted, studying it intently. It illustrated a drooping man with a noose around his neck. The rope was secured to the bough of a large tree. At the man's feet lay a bloody heap of human entrails. "Even I recognize this one: the suicide of Judas Iscariot."

Sara came up beside Leon. "History's most infamous traitor, guilty of betraying the Son of God Himself," she declared. "There's some scriptural discrepancy on his exact death; whether he hanged himself after returning the blood money to the priests, or he fell and burst open, spilling out his intestines. Some theorize that first he hanged himself then he burst. The piece of land connected to his death was called 'Field of Blood' and turned into a potter's field."

"Well named. Given Ramsey's ego, he probably sees himself as Jesus--the victim of the highest betrayal." Leon narrowed his eyes. "There's something off about this picture. Judas should be hanging from the bough, not standing next to the tree. The entrails are spilled out, but it's like he's still alive."

Leon ran his fingers over the canvas, tracing the line of the rope. His eyes widened in realization. "The rope isn't part of the painting," he announced. He moved his hand over the figure of Judas. It felt like a paper doll. "Neither is this guy. They're real moving parts."

He exchanged glances with Sara whose dark eyes gleamed with quick understanding. "Let's hang the bastard then," she said.

Leon followed the thin length of real rope and found that it ended at a leaf which cleverly disguised a small button. He pressed the button immediately, and the figure of Judas snapped up to the bough. The name plaque beside the painting ejected then flipped over to reveal a small LED panel and keypad.

"Whoa," breathed Sara.

"Shit. Of course it requires a password." Leon sighed. He paused for a moment, thinking. "Phanes," he tried.

Password Incorrect.

"Damn it! 'Traitor'?"

Password Incorrect.

Leon tried four more times, but to no avail. "C'mon, damn you! We're too close to fail now!" He stared at the painting again, and he felt a surge of inspiration. "Field of blood."

Password Incorrect.

"Wait!" Sara called. "Try 'akeldama'."

"What the hell does that mean?" asked Leon, looking at Sara in puzzlement.

"It's Aramaic. It means 'field of blood'. A-K-E-L-D-A-M-A."

Leon wasted no time in attempting it. "Please work."

The screen flashed a brief "OK" before returning to its original position behind the name plaque. There was a low rumbling sound and the painting slowly rose to the ceiling, revealing a short, dark passageway leading to an illuminated room.

Leon turned to Sara, genuinely impressed at her nimble mind.

Sara smiled thinly and shrugged. "I've read my Bible," she said.

"Yeah… Maybe I should, too," Leon remarked. He led the way into the passage, turning on his ear mount flashlight as he advanced. 

He and Sara had scarcely taken two paces when the painting descended again, shutting them in.

Sara gasped softly, scuttling aside. "We're trapped."

Leon turned back to look. There was a small touchscreen panel with a glowing keypad. "No. I think the same password that got us in might take us out. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

He retreated, expecting to see Sara standing behind him, but she was nowhere in sight. 

"Sara?"

Leon looked around then down at the floor. Sara sat in a heap against the wall, her head drooping. Immediately, he knelt beside her and carefully lifted her head. A thin stream of dark blood trickled from her nose. Leon wiped it away gently, noticing a network of violet veins beginning to climb from her chest to her face. Sara shifted slightly at his touch, only half conscious.

Tamping down the despair that threatened to thwart his resolve, Leon steadied himself and checked the monitor. It read sixty eight percent. The virus was spreading at a terrifyingly accelerated rate. 

Without further delay, Leon gathered her up. He could feel the heat emanating from her feverish body and the sweat permeating the thin fabric of her shift. Sara's temperature was spiking dangerously.

Leon headed for the bright room ahead. He entered, his eyes darting around, taking in everything but seeking only one thing. He found himself in a large single room, half study, half laboratory. On the study side was a handsome desk of rich, mahogany wood with a burgundy leather chair behind it. Mahogany bookcases lined the wall, each shelf filled with thick, leather-bound volumes. To the left of the desk was a panel of security monitors displaying various angles of the tower's exterior.

Across from the desk was the mini laboratory. Chemistry equipment occupied counters lined up against the wall. Glass cabinets filled with jars, bottles and empty petri dishes stood on either end of the counters. A lab table held a microscope with empty slides beside it as well as covered petri dishes containing living samples of unknown specimens. Joining both sides of the room was a large picture window, overlooking the island with a view of the distant city skyline. 

Leon noted all this cursorily, but his gaze locked onto the only thing that mattered. A large glass pedestal display case stood just to the right of the window. Inside the case, resting on a clear acrylic stand, was a big steel syringe containing a pale blue liquid. There was no doubt that this was the vaccine. Leon felt a surge of relief at the discovery. 

Sara roused and stirred in his arms. She opened her eyes blearily and looked up at Leon. Her left eye was an opaque yellow, her right, a dull ochre with an enlarged, elongated pupil. The sight both pained and incensed him.

"D-did you find it yet?" Sara asked faintly.

"I think I just did," Leon replied, his even tone concealing his emotions. 

He carefully set Sara down on the leather chair while he unceremoniously swept off the contents of the desk. He then laid Sara out upon it. She immediately curled herself into a fetal position, shivering.

At that moment, Leon heard the sound of an approaching helicopter. He stood erect, listening.

"What's that noise?" whispered Sara.

"A chopper," he answered. He rushed to the window. Sure enough, a helicopter was approaching the tower.

"Your BSAA friends?" Sara suggested. 

"I don't think so. Hunnigan, come in!"

"I'm here."

"Is the extraction chopper en route?" Leon demanded. 

"Give me a second." Hunnigan returned to the line promptly. "The extraction unit is about seven minutes away," she said.

"Shit. I've got the vaccine, but we're about to have some bad company."

Leon moved to the display case and proceeded to shatter the glass with his gun. Clearing away the shards quickly, he grabbed the syringe and hurried back to Sara who lay gasping and wheezing.

"I've got it," he told her. "Just hang on."

Leon gently turned her onto her back. She looked up at the syringe from under drooping lids. "God, that thing is big."

"Yeah. Are you ready?"

"As I'll never be; I hate needles. Do it."

Leon primed the syringe. He inserted it into her abdomen pushing the flange carefully but firmly until the plunger had reached the bottom of the barrel. He cast aside the syringe and watched Sara intently. 

For a moment she lay silent and motionless except for her shallow, rapid breathing. Her eyes opened wide suddenly, and she moaned deeply. Sara rolled onto her side abruptly, wrapping her arms around herself and wailing. "It burns! Oh, God! It hurts!" she cried.

Leon retreated several steps, watching as Sara writhed and thrashed violently until she fell off the desk. He fought back the urge to rush to her and drew one of his guns, hoping desperately that the cure hadn't proven worse than the ailment. 

Sara gripped herself, her anguished cries growing louder as she convulsed on the floor. A bloodcurdling shriek burst from her lips, making Leon wince. 

He aimed carefully at her, shutting his eyes for an instant as he steeled himself for whatever might come next. His forced execution of his friend, President Adam Benford came up before him vividly. Like Sara, Benford had been infected, giving Leon no choice but to terminate him or die himself. The memory sickened him. Leon quickly opened his eyes again, ready to pull the trigger, silently pleading for this night to end differently.

Sara's cries subsided, and her convulsions ceased. She went still except for her loud gasps as she struggled for air. She slowly unclenched her body and rolled onto her back, moaning softly. 

Still on his guard, Leon lowered his gun halfway. "Sara," he tried.

Sara opened her eyes and turned her gaze on him. Relief flooded through him as he saw that her eyes had returned to normal. She smiled tremulously at him, and he lowered the gun at last. As she sat up slowly, he approached her, still wary. But her skin and eyes were clear as ever; only a slight pallor remained. The last hint of doubt removed, Leon crouched beside her.

"I'm cured. You did it," Sara said with weary joy. She flinched. "Ah! This thing's still poking me," she complained with child-like annoyance.

Leon took her arm and analyzed the monitor. Conversion terminated. Virus no longer present. "It worked," he assented. "Your blood's clear. You won't be needing this anymore." Leon removed the monitor and cast it away.

He turned somber eyes on Sara. "I'm sure that chopper we heard was Ramsey. He's probably already landed on the helipad. As badly as I want to take him down, I can't risk your life to do it. I've gotta get you out of here now."

Sara opened her mouth to reply, but she froze, her eyes going wide as she stared behind him. "Leon, look out!" she cried.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara has been restored; the virus neutralized. But a new threat in the shape of David Ramsey himself appears!

Leon stood immediately and whirled around to face the impending threat. A shot suddenly rang out and struck him dead in the chest, the impact thrusting backward onto the floor. The vest caught the bullet, but debilitating pain tore through him.

"Leon!" cried Sara. She crawled over to him, her features etched with alarm.

Gasping, Leon looked up at his assailant who was descending on a platform from a hidden panel in the ceiling.

The platform alighted and a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair stepped off and advanced. Leon instantly recognized him as Devon Ramsey himself. 

Ramsey stopped before Leon, staring down at him with menacing gray eyes, his gun still trained on him. Ramsey's gaze traveled quickly from the floor, littered with the contents of his desk, to the shattered display case. He turned a savage visage on Sara who sat on her heels beside Leon, glaring up at him.

Ramsey became livid. “What have you done? What have you done?!” he roared. “My life's work, the future of the world twenty years in the making, and you’ve destroyed it all!”

Ramsey grabbed Sara's hair with his free hand and forced her to stand. She cried out in fury and pain. “Thanks to you, Nyx is dead!” he roared at Leon, shaking Sara with the force of his hold. 

Leon staggered to his feet, surmounting the sharp ache in his sternum. “It’s over, Ramsey,” he said gutturally. “Let her go.”

Ramsey twisted Sara about harshly, pressing her against him in a choke hold. "Get rid of your gun," he said, indicating Leon's second weapon.

Leon shot Sara a tense, hesitant glance.

"Don't do it!" she exclaimed.

Ramsey yanked her head back, making her cut her words off in a strangulated cry.

Leon quickly drew his weapon and dropped it on the floor, wheeling it over to Ramsey who kicked it away.

“You ended my dream, my paradise,” Ramsey declared.

“Paradise!” Leon spat. “The destruction of innocent people? A world ruled by monsters, overrun by the undead? That’s no paradise; that’s hell on earth.”

“One man’s hell is another man’s heaven, sir. Neo-Umbrella disposed of me because they deemed me unworthy--my skill and capacity insufficient to bring their plans to fruition.” Ramsey laughed. “See how far the mighty fell, reduced to a memory. But I carved my own niche in the world. I built an empire, and mapped the path to a glorious era where the mighty would rise from the blood of the weak. With my queen, Nyx, beside me, I would rule, and our children would own the earth.”

“Like locusts overrunning the fields,” Leon said, glowering at him. “Face it, Ramsey, you’re no king and definitely no god. You’re a copycat recycling old ideas.” 

“I am a genius!” Ramsey thundered. “Nothing those Neo-Umbrella fools concocted could hold a candle to my work here. They were nothing but children playing with fingerpaint, creating aberrations. But I found a way to create life and continue the cycle with perfect constancy.” 

He looked down at Sara almost fondly, caressing her cheek with the muzzle of his gun. “Then I finally found my queen, and I could begin building my pantheon.” Ramsey turned a murderous gaze on Leon. “But you came, and in one fell swoop, you razed it all.”

Ramsey seized Sara by the scruff of her neck. She exclaimed in pain as he hauled her aside, and pointed the gun back to Leon. “Now, thanks to you, she’s useless to me. I can’t even clone her. The vaccine has permanently inoculated her blood cells against Omega.” He gave Sara a hard shove, sending her careening halfway across the room and into a cabinet. She crashed into it headfirst, and sank to the floor, dazed.

Leon winced with rage, turning smoldering eyes on his adversary.

"Mark my words, this was just the beginning," Ramsey asserted. "I will end you right here, right now, then I'll start over on a new canvas. And this time, not even the devil himself will be able to stop me."

"Cleaning out scumbags like you isn't in the devil's agenda; that's where I come in. You're going down now, Ramsey," Leon affirmed.

Never taking his irate gaze off Leon, Ramsey disassembled his gun and cast it aside. He drew a large, cruel-looking knife with a double-serrated blade, his mouth spreading into a malevolent grin. "Let's see what you've got." He lunged at Leon.

Leon twisted away in time to avoid the attack. Drawing his own knife, he assumed a defensive stance.

Ramsey laughed. "I'm gonna tear you apart!"

"Yeah? Okay, Ramsey. Show me the god you think you are.”

Ramsey slashed wildly at Leon, forcing him to bob and weave in order to dodge the strokes. His first assault unsuccessful, Ramsey withdrew, circling Leon guardedly as he strategized his next attack.

Leon eyed his movements carefully. The air crackled with tension as the men circulated each other, assessing the other’s defenses. Ramsey then lashed out, feinting a slash at Leon’s right flank, and as Leon moved to evade the attack, Ramsey jabbed the blade at his throat. Bending backward almost to the breaking point, Leon managed to avoid the strike. 

Ramsey roared in frustration and charged furiously at Leon who deflected the blow deftly with his own knife. They parried and thrusted fiercely, their blades scintillating as they clashed.

The fight came to stalemate as Leon found himself caught in a deadlock with his adversary. The men pushed hard at each other, eye to eye. Leon felt his strength waning. He struggled against his weariness, clinging to the rush of adrenaline to aid him in the battle. 

Growling, Leon pressed his full weight against Ramsey, breaking the deadlock at last. Ramsey staggered backward a full pace, and Leon seized the opportunity to deliver a quick sideways slash at his abdomen before dealing a hard side kick to his stomach.

Swearing foully, Ramsey gripped the streaming gash. Undeterred, however, he sprang at Leon once more, raining blows upon him hard and fast, his blade little more than a blur. It was all Leon could do to parry the oncoming strokes. At last, his sorely taxed strength cost him a missed counterblow. Ramsey struck out at him hard, knocking the knife out of his hand.

Leon reeled with the impact, and Ramsey followed up his advantage quickly with a hard back hand uppercut. Leon stumbled backward into the wall with a grunt. He rallied quickly, however, looking up in time to see Ramsey's knife darting straight at him. Gasping raggedly, Leon spun out of its path. The blade struck just inches away from Leon, jutting out from the wall, its hilt quivering.

Snarling, Ramsey snatched up Leon's fallen knife, intending to fling it at him. But Leon was faster. Tugging the knife out of the wall he whirled about and hurled it at Ramsey.

The blade struck true, plunging into Ramsey's chest just inches above his heart. He staggered momentarily, his eyes wide as he dislodged the knife from his flesh, causing his blood to spray forth. A wet gurgle burst from his gaping lips, but he teetered on toward Leon, knife upraised, blood streaming from his mouth.

Leon stood ready to receive the attack, but at that moment Sara cried out: "Leon, catch!"

He looked over to see her slide one of his handguns over to him forcefully. It skidded across the floor, stopping at his foot. Immediately he seized the gun and sprang back up, firing a single shot to Ramsey's head.

For several seconds Ramsey stood staring at Leon in shocked fury. At last he toppled to his knees before collapsing prostrate to the floor, a dark pool of blood spreading from his body.

Leon maintained his stance, regarding the corpse warily. Sara rose unsteadily and approached him, eyeing it nervously. "You did it," she breathed. "It's over."

Leon lowered the gun slowly, but made no remark. He glanced at her and frowned with concern, noting a small gash on the side of her head.

Sara smiled faintly. "It's not that bad," she said, wiping the trickling blood away roughly.

"Thanks for the assist," Leon told her.

"Of course."

Leon turned back to Ramsey, unable to shake the ominous feeling that gripped him. "That was too easy," he mused aloud.

Sara's eyes snapped back to him. "Easy?! The hell it was! He almost killed you!"

"The endgame's never this easy," Leon continued, his thoughts drowning her out. "I don't expect to break tradition in one night." He looked up at Sara severely. "We'd better go."

Sara headed for the door, gingerly stepping around Ramsey. "What are you expecting?" she asked, glancing back at him.

Leon gathered his strewn weapons and followed her, his eyes still locked on Ramsey. "I dunno, but I don't want to wait around for any new developments."

As he turned to follow Sara, a peal of laughter erupted from Ramsey's gaping mouth. Leon halted with a stab of fear. Behind him, Sara stood petrified. The laughter grew louder, and Ramsey turned his eyes to look at them.

Shifting in his own blood, Ramsey started to his feet. He guffawed. "Look what you've done," he said, his voice hideously distorted. "You killed Devon Ramsey, the man, but now you've unleashed the god. Behold: I am Phanes!"

Ramsey's neck twisted awkwardly to the left, instantly going limp, the eyes glazing over. The flesh tore open, and another head began to sprout in its place. Ramsey's body grew taller, his extremities elongating abnormally. Thick, sharp claws burst forth from his fingers. His skeletal structure bulged through his flesh, exposing it to full view. Two more arms shot out from his flanks equipped with clawed hands. Ramsey threw his head back and let out a deafening roar.

Leon retreated. "Run, Sara! Run!"

Sara sprinted out into the dark passage, Leon only two steps behind her, lighting the way with his flashlight. "Put in the password!" he shouted.

Ramsey's thudding footfalls made the floor tremble beneath them. Leon heard Sara's ragged breathing as she punched in the password "akeldama". He breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the computer accepted the code and the door began to lift.

"Crawl under it. Go!" he told Sara.

Sara and Leon scrambled beneath the rising door. The instant he was on his feet, Leon fired a round at the exposed code panel. The door halted its ascent and slammed back down.

"That's not gonna hold him off for long," Sara remarked. 

"I know, but I'll take any head start I can get," Leon replied.

No sooner had he spoken than Ramsey began battering and clawing at the door.

"Shit!"

Leon bolted away again, grabbing Sara's wrist and pulling her with him. They raced through the gallery and down the corridor to the elevator. Sara pounded the button desperately as Leon turned back, ready to shoot if Ramsey appeared.

The gallery door crashed down as the elevator opened. Leon ushered Sara inside then boarded himself. Ramsey lumbered into view, roaring furiously as the gate slid shut.

"What happened?" cried Sara. "He was dead! How did he turn?!"

Realization rapidly dawned on Leon, as he began piecing together the facts. He remembered his research through Grey's computer. The Alpha Virus. The file had said little about it, but now Leon understood. Ramsey's words echoed in his mind: just the beginning. 

"Grey's been carrying the Alpha Virus all along. He must've administered it to himself a while back, probably keeping the infection in check by using a decelerant like he did with you. His death triggered hyper-accelerated mutation," Leon concluded.

"Oh, my God," Sara murmured. "What do we do?"

"Try to live," Leon replied.

As the elevator descended slowly, a distant metallic screech echoed through the shaft. Leon and Sara exchanged uneasy glances. The car suddenly rocked and pitched dangerously as Ramsey, having leaped down into the shaft, landed atop it. With cries of surprise and alarm, Leon and Sara fell hard to the floor.

“Ah, damn. What a way to speed things up,” Leon grunted, as the car plummeted, the cables shrieking in protest at the weight.

“Oh, God, I think he wrecked the controls!” Sara realized, her face horror-stricken.

“Stay down!” Leon warned her.

The elevator stopped its terrifying plunge abruptly with a jarring jolt. The gate opened, the car hovering halfway above the landing where the hall doors were barely ajar. The only way onto the landing was to climb down out of the car; a potentially deadly endeavor indeed.

Leon noted all this quickly, Ramsey pounding violently on the car roof. He punched one gigantic fist down, leaving a deep indentation in the steel.

Without hesitation, Leon leaned out of the car and proceeded to force open the hall doors until they stood open far enough to create a crawl space. “Go, Sara,” he called to her over the din of buckling metal. He spared her a brief glance over his shoulder. “Get out!”

Quickly and silently, Sara crawled past him and began wriggling out of the car backward and down onto the landing.

Ramsey’s savage blows finally broke through the metal, and he reached a clawed hand in, swiping fiercely at Leon who pressed himself into a corner as far as he could to avoid it. He rolled onto his back and fired a shot at the grasping hand. Fierce triumph flowed through him at Ramsey’s infuriated howl of pain.

Leon flipped back onto his stomach and looked out to the landing where Sara waited for him anxiously. He began crawling out, but Ramsey hopped hard on the car, causing it to jerk and sway hazardously.

Leon balked, fearful that the car would crash down and sever him in half. He looked down at Sara who stood staring at him in sheer terror. “Run,” he commanded. “I'll be right behind you.”

The car buckled alarmingly.

Sara stepped forward resolutely, her eyes flashing stormily. “I’m not leaving without you, damn it! Give me your hand.”

Leon dragged himself through the gate and reached out to her. Ramsey tore away part of the car roof like a tin can, raking at Leon once more. Leon felt the rush of air as the claws came far too close for comfort.

“I’ll tear you open and eat your guts!” Ramsey thundered.

Panic gave Leon a burst of energy. He thrust his hand out to Sara who caught it firmly and, grunting with effort, hauled him out of the car. He flopped onto the floor and quickly moved away. A second later, the car came crashing down, Ramsey's infuriated snarls and swears reverberating throughout the shaft. 

Panting with relief and exertion, Leon scrambled to his feet. “Move!” he cried.

Leon and Sara were off again. Looking back over his shoulder, Leon saw Ramsey rip the elevator doors open and shove his bloody bulk through the yawning portal. Ignoring the growing stitch in his side, Leon increased his speed, snatching Sara’s hand to help her match his velocity. She tightened her grip on his hand and ran on.

They made their way down the stairs with what haste they could and rushed through the antechamber. The wreckage of the truck and battered doors were in view. 

“We’re almost out,” Leon shouted. He swiftly lifted Sara onto the hood of the truck. “Don’t stop. Keep going.”

As soon as Sara had climbed down the other side of the truck, Leon heaved himself up, using the rubble as a step ladder. They picked their way over the debris as briskly as they could. Leon stopped a moment to catch his breath, turning to look at the tower. Ramsey had just arrived at the door where he stood briefly, glaring at them malevolently.

“You think this will stop me?!” he boomed. He lifted the truck with inhuman ease and flung it aside. Sparks flew as it drifted several feet over the pavement.

Leon huffed. “Nope; didn't expect it would,” he muttered.

There were no more plans, and nowhere left to hide. The extraction chopper was their only hope now. 

"Stay behind me," he told Sara. He drew his guns, prepared to make a final stand.

Suddenly a gruff, masculine voice barked out: “Get down!”

Leon and Sara whirled about to see who the newcomer was.

A tall, broad figure stood at a distance, little more than a silhouette against the flames that still burned from the garage and nitrogen truck explosions earlier that night. He held an RPG in his hands, poised and ready to fire.

“Get down, now!” the man ordered.

“Oh, shit!” Leon dropped to the ground, pulling Sara down with him.

The man fired the RPG. It zipped through the air, hitting Ramsey dead on and flaring up into a blinding, deafening explosion. Leon protectively shielded Sara with his body, hiding his face to avoid the flash that followed.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a last-stand battle against David Ramsey to put an end to the horrors of Halcyon Isle.

Leon raised himself off of Sara and swept her hair away from her face to look at her. "Are you okay?" he demanded.

Sara coughed slightly. "Uh-huh. But my ears are ringing."

"Yeah, mine, too." Leon stood and helped her up quickly. He looked up to see their rescuer approaching them steadily. As he came closer, Leon recognized the burly figure. He found himself looking into the somewhat saturnine face of his longtime friend, Chris Redfield.

"Chris!" Leon exclaimed, walking up to him. "Man, are you a sight for sore eyes!"

Chris tossed the expended booster aside. "I figured you could use a little help right about now. Looks like I got here just in time," he said.

"Great timing," Leon agreed, relief surging through him.

The two men clasped hands in a friendly greeting.

"Jesus, Leon, you look like hell," Chris remarked, surveying him.

Leon scoffed. "Yeah, well. I ran out of PEZ."

Chris produced a case of health tablets from his fanny pack and tossed it to him. "Help yourself," he said.

"Thanks." Leon turned to Sara. "This is Sara Rios. Sara, this is Captain Chris Redfield of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance."

"Nice to meet you, Captain," she greeted him.

"Chris," he corrected, offering Sara a small, kind smile. "In ass-saving situations, I tend to ignore formalities. You got the antivirus, I hope."

"Yeah. Ramsey was pissed about that, as you saw," Leon answered, after popping several tablets into his mouth. "Where's the chopper?"

"I told the crew to hang back, and I came ahead on a motor raft. Good thing we're just about done here. As soon as HQ gives the word, this place is history. Of course, if we take too long, they'll light it up anyway. Aside from that asshole, what else are we dealing with here?"

"Just your garden-variety zombies. Every other sideshow is down," Leon replied.

At that moment, a deafening roar came from the conflagrant tower. Ramsey's blazing figure emerged from the inferno. "Is that the best you can do?!" he taunted.

The trio spun about to face the approaching horror. Sara cried out.

"You gotta be shittin' me!" Chris exclaimed.

"I stand corrected. What the hell's it gonna take?!" Leon growled.

"A shitload of luck," Chris remarked. 

"And me without a rabbit's foot," Leon quipped, drawing his guns. 

Chris readied his assault rifle. "Get back," he told Sara.

Sara retreated behind her guardians, her eyes glued to the oncoming flaming terror.

Chris and Leon fired a volley of bullets at Ramsey, but he stalked on, unaffected.

"Let's get the hell outta here," Chris barked.

The group retreated simultaneously, running as fast as they could.

"Any chance your guys can hit fast forward on the evac?" Leon panted.

Chris shouted into his microphone. "Alpha Eagle, we're ready for evac. I repeat, we are ready for evac. Get that damn bird here now! The helipad's out; meet us on the west side of the island!" He threw a quick glance at his companions. "Follow me!"

They raced through headstones, Leon and Chris taking down the incoming undead as they cleared a path to the shore.

A thunderous roar rent the air and the ground quaked as Ramsey's bloody, blistered bulk landed directly in front of them, cutting off their escape. Leon and Chris instantly opened fire. Ramsey bellowed in pain and fury as his blood splattered onto the earth.

"Ah, damn!" exclaimed Leon, looking at the locked-back slide of his gun. "I'm out! Chris, got any extra party favors?"

Chris wordlessly drew a silver Magnum and tossed it to Leon before hastily replacing his magazine. He fired again, shredding Ramsey's lower arm. The monster howled.

Leon prepared to shoot, but halted as Ramsey shed his ruined appendage, and a new one sprouted in its place. Ramsey's hideous face spread into a demonic grin and he burst into raucous laughter. "You can't destroy a god!" he boomed. 

Fear bloomed within Leon, but he stood his ground. Recalling the last flash grenade he had, he tossed it at Ramsey's feet. Ramsey shouted and gurgled as he staggered backward, momentarily blinded. "Move!" he shouted to his companions.

They ran on again, Chris pausing once to pitch a grenade at Ramsey. "I swear, these sons of bitches die harder every day! We're almost there," he called.

Leon turned to look after Sara. She was lagging behind. He fell back a few paces and took hold of her arm. "C'mon, Sara. Keep going!"

He felt a sudden constriction around his right ankle, and he was instantly pulled down to the ground, Sara collapsing alongside him. He released Sara as he was reeled backward through the dirt by a long, slimy tentacle. "No!" cried Sara.

Chris whirled about. "Leon!"

Leon rolled onto his back even as Ramsey dragged him, managing to fire off two rounds. Ramsey hissed, but continued hauling him incessantly. Leon cried out as his shoulder hit a headstone. He dropped the gun, pain searing through him. He struggled furiously, but was unable to break free.

🌘🌑🌒

S

ara leaped up, ignoring her terror and exhaustion, and chased after Leon's disappearing figure.

"Wait, Sara!" Chris called behind her. "Come back!"

Sara scarcely heard him. She caught sight of the fallen Magnum and snatched it up. She raised trembling hands and aimed for Ramsey's head. There was no laser or dot sight to guide her now. For once she appreciated first person shooter games.

"It's just like Unholy Alliance," she murmured to herself. "Just aim and…"

She fired the gun. The jarring recoil caused her to stagger back, but the powerful blast went clear through Ramsey's cheek. He quickly released Leon. Relief flashed through Sara until she saw a long tentacle dart out at her.

She felt a hard shove from behind as Chris swept her out of the way. The tentacle wrapped itself around him, and lifted him off the ground bodily. Chris groaned and struggled against the constricting tentacle, his weapon falling to the ground. Ramsey laughed menacingly. 

Sara groped for the Magnum. Taking it up again, she rose on shaky legs and shot once more. This time, she missed her target. 

Ramsey looked down at her. "You bitch!" he rumbled. Still gripping Chris, he stalked toward her.

Leon suddenly slid between them, taking hold of Chris' rifle and rising up on one knee to fire a barrage of bullets. Ramsey howled ferociously and dropped Chris, turning his attention to Leon.

"Damn you!" Ramsey exclaimed.

He raised a foot to stomp on Leon who managed to dodge him just in time.

Sara hurried to Chris. "Are you okay?" she demanded. 

Chris turned stern brown eyes on her. "Are you crazy? He almost got you!"

"Look out!" shouted Leon.

Before Sara realized what was happening, Ramsey had seized her by the neck with his tentacle and yanked her up into the air. She yelled in agony as a row of razor-sharp barbs bit into her flesh. Below her, the men shouted in consternation.

Ramsey brought her level to his face. "You traitorous little bitch! I will drink your blood and crush your bones to dust!" he declared.

Ramsey tightened his grip. Sara let out a strangulated gasp as the suckers began draining the blood from her body. Her legs kicked frantically.

Leon and Chris fired several rounds, but they seemed to have little effect on Ramsey now. He continued siphoning Sara's blood.

Sara's vision dimmed, and the noises around her grew distant. A sudden frenzy laid hold of her just as when she had fought the harpy. But now Sara was in control of her faculties; no foreign will dominated her own. 

A surge of power coursed through her veins and she uttered a feral shriek. A blinding current of golden electricity burst from her body, shocking Ramsey and causing him to release her instantly. She hit the ground hard, blood streaming from her perforated neck. Strangely, however, she felt little pain.

Chris and Leon were beside her immediately, taking advantage of Ramsey’s temporarily stunned state.

“Can you stand?” asked Leon.

Sara nodded mutely, too winded to reply.

“What the hell just happened? I thought you said you’d gotten the vaccine,” Chris said, lifting Sara up easily.

“We did. But the virus was bonding with her blood; it must've altered her cells to some extent,” Leon reasoned.

“Shit,” Chris muttered, looking at Sara’s neck. “Those wounds--they’re healing.”

Sara leaned heavily on Chris, touching her neck gingerly. Her skin was still bloody, but the punctures were closing. “God, what’s happening to me?” she gasped.

Ramsey broke from the electrical shock Sara had inflicted on him and growled.

"We'd better worry about that later. Ramsey's back online," Leon said. "Let's go!"

The three of them ran as fast as they could toward the shore. Just then, the air shook with the combined noises of a distant roaring jet and the whirring blades of an approaching helicopter.

"Aw, hell," muttered Leon. "They're gonna purge the island… now."

"Damn them!" Chris growled.

Ramsey erupted into laughter. "Let them come. I'll crush them all!" He turned his attention back to the group at his feet.

The trio stood in triangular formation, backing away slowly as they prepared for whatever might come. Ramsey advanced on them threateningly, preparing himself for a triumphant kill. Then, unexpectedly, he balked, groaning loudly and doubling over.

"Clear out!" shouted Chris.

Leon grabbed Sara's arm and they ran after Chris, pausing several yards away to watch this new development.

Ramsey began retching violently, vomiting a bloody, opaque yellow substance. "What is this?! What's happening to me?!" he bellowed.

"Now's our chance!" said Leon.

They tore off again. A searchlight beam suddenly fell over them. Sara shielded her eyes against the blinding light.

"Head for the chopper," Chris ordered. To his team he added: "Alpha Eagle, we need you right over the island. Son of a bitch is closing in on us!"

As she followed the men, Sara looked back at Ramsey. He had rallied and was pursuing them, but his speed had decreased. The searchlight washed over him briefly, and Sara realized with astonishment that his flesh was melting. His newly formed limbs dangled lifelessly at his sides.

"What have you done to me?!" he roared after them.

"He's… decomposing," Sara muttered.

The helicopter descended, the blades scattering debris over the group. A soldier within opened fire at Ramsey as the pilot hovered over them. The deadened appendages fell off, leaving a trail of bloody pus

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" a female soldier shouted down to them.

Sara gasped as Leon's strong hands gripped her and lifted her up to the soldier. The woman heaved her onboard. Sara knelt on the chopper floor gazing at Chris and Leon below.

"Leon, go! Get in," Chris told him.

Leon turned, and with the soldier's aid, he climbed onto the chopper. Sara took hold of his arm. "Ramsey's dying," she said, staring into his face earnestly. "He's rotting!"

Leon looked at her briefly before turning to the soldier stationed behind the M134 machine gun. "Keep shooting that thing!"

Sara looked down and covered her ears as the soldier fired at Ramsey who reeled backward, howling as his blood rained down. "Chris, hurry!" she screamed over the chaos.

"Hurry, Captain!" the female soldier echoed.

Having emptied his magazine in a final assault against Ramsey, Chris retreated and leaped up onto the chopper. Immediately, Leon and Sara helped him aboard.

"Pull up!" Chris ordered the pilot.

The pilot obeyed, but before they had become fully airborne, Ramsey shot out a bloody tentacle and grabbed a landing skid.

The helicopter pitched dangerously, and Chris slid backward. Still clutching at Chris, Sara slid with him, trying to hold him despite his weight. The other soldiers rushed to their aid. The pilot struggled to gain altitude, but Ramsey tugged against the engines with his remaining strength.

"Shit! Hang on, everyone!" shouted Leon.

Gripping the side of the doorway, Leon leaned out carefully and, aiming as steadily as he could, he fired a single, perfect shot at the tentacle. Ramsey's roar of rage and pain echoed over the helicopter's noise. The tentacle broke off, releasing the skid.

The helicopter leveled off abruptly, and it took the combined efforts of Leon and the soldiers to hoist Chris and Sara safely onto the helicopter.

"Thanks," Chris said breathlessly. "Get this bird the hell outta here!" he barked to the pilot.

The pilot immediately ascended and pulled out. The roar of the approaching jet grew louder, and the plane came into view. Everyone aboard the chopper looked up to see it drop the missile.

"Buckle your asses in, this is gonna be a bumpy ride. Hold on, and don't look at the flash!" Chris shouted.

Everyone scrambled to secure themselves in. They had barely finished buckling their belts when the missile landed. They shielded their eyes from the blinding flash as it lit up the night sky. The blast caused some turbulence, but the pilot quickly regained control of the chopper, and soon they were well on their way.

The soldiers cheered triumphantly. "We made it, Captain!" the male soldier piped up. 

Chris shook his head. "That was too damn close," he said.

Leon breathed a low sigh of relief. "You're telling me."

Sara stared dazedly out the window of the helicopter, watching Halcyon Isle burn, and with it, the horrors conjured up by Devon Ramsey. Leon touched her shoulder gently, startling her. She turned to him, meeting his clear, solemn blue eyes. 

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Sara smiled unsteadily. "Yeah. I can't believe it's really over. I owe you my life." She looked up at Chris. "And you, of course."

A small smile brightened Chris' ruggedly handsome face. "That's the job," he said. "Thank you for the help back there. You're pretty tough for a civilian."

Leon chuckled. "You have no idea."

Sara smiled wryly. "I don't know… I just wanted to help… if I could. I don't know if you'd call that being tough."

"I would. Jump in, do what you can, hope you don't screw up. Hell, that's how we do this job. Maybe you should work with us," Chris joked.

The remark had been made in jest, but it struck Sara deeply. The idea had merit: a lifetime spent putting down bioterrorists and protecting innocent victims like she and all the unfortunate women had been. It was a terrifying job, true, but it would be a life of purpose.

"That bastard went down hard," Chris was saying. 

"Yeah, no kidding," Leon replied. "Then Ramsey started melting like the Wicked Witch of the West. What the hell happened to him, I wonder."

Realization dawned on Sara, and she turned back to her companions. "My blood," she said. "When he grabbed me, the tentacle was sucking my blood. After that, he just started falling apart. I think my blood infected him."

Leon nodded. "Makes sense. His body rejected your blood because your cells were an antivirus cocktail comprised of the neutralized Omega Virus and the vaccine. He didn't imagine that the combination could be lethal to him. Bastard literally had a drink that didn't agree with him."

"And good riddance to the asshole," Chris concluded.

Silence fell among them, each lost in their own thoughts. Sara broke the silence presently.

"Do you think the DSO would recruit someone like me?" she asked soberly.

Everyone within earshot turned to look at her in some surprise.

"Are you sure you'd want that? Do you realize what this life is like?" Leon asked, looking at her gravely.

"Don't think I can cut it, huh?" Sara asked, raising her chin in mock defiance.

Leon shook his head. "I'm sure you can. But this, tonight, would be your whole life. Every day could be a waking nightmare," he said. 

"Your entire life would revolve around trying to take down monsters and the psycho sons of bitches that make them. It's the army and FBI with a mutant twist," Chris informed her.

Sara mulled this over for a moment. "I know. But if I could be a part of trying to stop those freaks and make the world a little safer… I think it might be worth it."

Chris shook his head dubiously. "No argument, but you might wanna think it over carefully."

Leon said nothing, regarding Sara with a thoughtful expression.

Sara looked down at her hands quietly for a moment. "So… what's gonna happen to me now? 'Cause I seriously doubt I can just go home."

"Well, we'll have to transfer you to a government facility for special tests and assessments. You're a victim of infection followed by inoculation. Scientists need to verify complete recovery and determine whether it's safe for you to rejoin society," Chris explained. "I'm sorry," he added sincerely.

"Terrific. I get to be a rat in someone else's lab. Makes sense, but it still sucks," Sara sighed.

Leon took her hand and pressed it gently. "You'll be okay," he said assuringly.

Sara smiled. His touch recalled to mind the kiss they had shared, and she turned her face to conceal the sudden flush that rose to her cheeks. "So, I guess once I get… wherever I'm supposed to be, it'll be the last we'll see of each other." She looked back at him.

Leon gazed at her intently. "Not necessarily. Unless you think it's better that way."

Sara bit back a very undignified 'no!' and shrugged with feigned nonchalance. "It's not that. But you'll be moving on to another case. I'm sure I'll be the last thing on your mind."

Leon scoffed. "After everything we've been through tonight, no chance."

"Why not? You've been through this before with many other victims, I'm sure."

"Yeah… But I really wanna see you again." Leon's look and tone were firm and decided, ending Sara's doubts.

"I can't promise you as good a time as we had tonight," he said, making her chuckle. "But I think we can figure something out."

"I'd like that," Sara replied.

Leon smiled then turned to look out the chopper window, his expression becoming grim.

Sara felt desolate in the silence that followed, and looking at Leon, it was obvious he felt the same. His was a terrible burden being both victim and savior. She understood that weight instinctively, and she had a strong desire to share that burden and take up arms against the dark world of bioterrorism.

Sara reached over and placed her hand over his. Her light touch served to jar him out of his morose reverie, and he turned to her. A look of profound empathy passed between them. Leon intertwined her fingers in his, tucking them into his palm. 

They gazed out at the city skyline where eight million people would sleep a little safer, ignorant of the danger they had narrowly escaped.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the incident, Sara must pick up the pieces of her life and build a new future.

The two weeks following the incident were the longest, most trying Sara had ever lived.

As Chris Redfield had foretold, she was taken to a government facility for testing and analysis. There she was subjected to an exhausting slew of cerebral scans, constant blood work and trials. The sense of confinement was maddening; Sara wasn't allowed to leave the facility except for walks in the courtyard.

But worst of all was the loneliness and isolation. Although the staff were not unkind, their communication with Sara was formal and clinical. Truthfully, she missed Leon. She hadn't heard anything from or about him since they had parted at the facility's heliport. Although she had known him for just one night, he'd become her only friend in the world. She often thought of the kiss they had shared, remembering it vividly as the only bright moment in the darkest hour of her life.

Inherently strong and resilient, Sara overcame these thoughts and sorrows, compartmentalizing them and focusing on getting home. If there was anything left of home, anyway.

At last discharge day arrived. Every test concluded that, although Sara's DNA had been altered as a result of the Omega Virus, she posed no threat to humanity. She had, however, undergone an extensive cellular transformation. She had acquired faster metabolism, increased agility, an accelerated physical healing rate, and a stronger skeletal structure. But Sara showed no sign of retaining the powers she had exhibited on Halcyon Isle. She silently suspected, however, that given sufficient provocation, those powers would return.

Clad in donated clothing, an airplane ticket to New York in one pocket and twenty dollars in cash in the other, courtesy of the government, Sara stepped out of the facility. She inhaled the crisp autumn air deeply, admiring the golden foliage of the trees surrounding the area.

The scene was beautiful and serene, and Sara was grateful to be alive to enjoy it. Still, through her relief, the element of loneliness made Sara's heart ache sharply. No one was waiting for her here or back home. As always, she would be alone, trying to pick up the pieces on her own.

"Stop it," she chided herself. "Just celebrate another day of living. You can sort out the rest later." She lifted her chin and trotted down the concrete steps to the sidewalk.

"Hey," a masculine voice called to her. "Need a ride?"

Sara instantly recognized the warm, deep tone, and she immediately looked around for the speaker. Her heart skipped a beat when she caught sight of him.

Leon stood leaning against a parked car, arms crossed, watching her as the late October wind tousled and tossed his walnut bangs. His attitude was relaxed and casual, but for the effect he had on Sara, he may as well have been striking a model's pose. Now devoid of blood and grime, dressed in a dark blue leather racing jacket and jeans, he was an arresting sight.

Sara advanced, succeeding admirably in containing and concealing her joy at seeing him.

Leon actually smiled at her as she approached--not a small, reserved or solemn smile; but a genuine one that made his deep silvery blue eyes sparkle. He straightened up to meet her.

"Leon! What are you doing here?" Sara asked.

He quirked a brow. "Well, hi, yourself. It's great to see you, too."

Sara laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm just surprised to see you, that's all. I didn't expect you to be here." She shrugged, feigning nonchalance, but her cool facade quickly fell, concern clouding her countenance. "I've been worried about you, though. You were so badly hurt, I was afraid... But now you look like nothing happened to you."

Leon chuckled. "I have some government scientists to thank for that. The health tablets aren't even half of what they've developed. I still have a couple of bandages to shed, but I'll live." His smile faded.

"I wanted to visit or at least talk to you when I got back on my feet, but they refused. They said they didn't want anything to disturb your tests. I think that's a lot of bull, but..." He shook his head apologetically. "Unfortunately, whatever pull I have with the DSO doesn't extend here. But I kept tabs on your tests and results. As soon as I heard you were being discharged, I came over. I wanted to be here to meet you."

Sara was speechless.

"I said I wanted to see you again," Leon continued. "I meant it. These past two weeks, you're the brightest thought I've had."

That statement, uttered so undemonstratively, stunned and touched Sara. Before she could stop herself, Sara hugged him. Instantly self-conscious, she began to withdraw, but Leon quietly enfolded her in his arms in a warm embrace. She stood inhaling his scents of leather, vetiver and musk until the hard press of a gun beneath his jacket interrupted the moment.

"You're carrying a gun?" she asked incredulously as she released him.

"After everything I've experienced, I don't leave home without it," Leon replied. He turned and opened the car door. "C'mon," he told her. "We'd better get to the airport."

Sara flashed him a grateful smile and climbed in. Soon they were on the road. They drove in silence for several minutes, during which Sara felt a little awkward.

"Wanna hear some music?" Leon asked, glancing over at her.

"Sure," Sara answered, relieved.

Leon flipped on the radio. Daughtry's Deep End was playing.

"We're all swimming into the light  
I want you by my side  
And I'm right here waiting for you  
Right here waiting for you  
We're all living on borrowed time  
I've been holding my breath all night  
Waiting for you."

"Oh, I love this song," she said.

Leon turned up the volume. "Yeah. It's a good song," he agreed, abstractedly.

"And now I'm diving into the deep end  
And I'm not scared  
I'm not scared  
And I'm in way over my head  
And I'm not scared  
I'm not scared, no

I'll follow you straight to the bottom  
I'm not afraid hell or high water  
I wanna dive into you  
I'll follow you straight to the bottom  
I'm not afraid hell or high water  
I wanna dive into you."

The song ended, and Leon turned the volume back down. "Sara, I'm going with you to New York," he told her.

Sara turned to him, stunned. "What?"

"I know things are gonna be kinda tough for you when you get back. I'd like to be with you to check things out first; help you get settled back in."

Sara was deeply moved. "That's awesome of you, but... what about your job?"

"I'm on recovery furlough for another week. I could definitely use the vacation time, and New York's a good place for it. I've already made hotel arrangements. Besides, it'd be nice to revisit the city without having to fight off bioterrorists."

Sara stared at him inquiringly.

Leon scoffed. "Ah, I'll tell you about it some time."

Sara chuckled. "Fair enough."

At length, Leon pulled the car over.

"What's wrong?" asked Sara, frowning.

Leon leaned back in his seat and turned to her, his gaze intent. "Have you given thought to what you said... about joining the DSO?"

Sara immediately became solemn. "I have," she said. "It's practically all I did think about. It's impressive and terrifying seeing what you do. You fight the human monsters trying to burn the world down, and you avenge their victims. The world is a little safer thanks to people like you. I want to be a part of that. Or at least try to be a part of it. I know it'd be hard... and scary, but it would be worth it."

Leon analyzed her momentarily then nodded. "I discussed the issue with my superiors. I told them what you accomplished; what you were capable of. They agreed you were a good candidate if your tests checked out. You'd be an exception since you've never had any formal training, but pending preliminary assessment, there's a spot for you at the academy."

Sara blinked in astonishment. Words forsook her for an instant. "Wow. I don't know what to say. I can't believe you vouched for me like that. Kinda worries me, though," she said with an uneasy chuckle.

"Why?"

"Well, I don't want to make you look bad if I fail or if I'm just not good enough," Sara replied. "You're practically staking your reputation on me."

Leon shook his head. "No, I'm not worried. I have total faith in you. You're smart, brave and you've got heart. On Halcyon Isle, you helped me and saved me as much as I saved you. If that's what you can do now, I can only imagine what you could do with proper training."

Sara stared at him before breaking into an incredulous laugh. "I don't believe you. Why are you being so sweet? You barely even know me."

"Well, you know, we can take care of that," Leon replied.

Sara shook her head. "You're something else, you know that? I could really just kiss you." She pinched her lips, regretting the words immediately. She hadn't meant to seem forward or presumptuous.

"I'm game," Leon replied, much to her surprise.

An amazed smile slowly spread over Sara's face. Leon sat coolly, watching her expectantly with those intense blue eyes. She leaned forward and brushed her lips lightly over his. Leon regarded her disappointedly.

Without speaking, he bent toward her and kissed her lips coaxingly. Sara needed no urging. She responded instantly, losing all timidity. The sweet and exquisite kiss took her breath away as she glimpsed Leon's well-concealed, restrained passion through his tender caress. The sensation was a thrilling contrast to his usual austerity and reserve.

Leon withdrew, his eyes fixed on her. "I have an idea if you really want to thank me," he said. "When we land in New York, let me take you to dinner."

"What? How would I be thanking you if you're treating me to dinner?" Sara asked laughingly.

"Because I'd get to spend an evening with you that doesn't involve mad scientists, zombies or mutants," Leon deadpanned.

"No argument there. But I'm not dressed for dinner; these aren't even my clothes," Sara protested.

"Well, I wasn't thinking of hitting the Russian Tea Room. Just something casual," Leon said. 

Sara sat back, studying him thoughtfully. "Of all the badass, beautiful women you must know, why the interest in ordinary me? I'm not exactly the sleek, sophisticated, sexy type you're used to."

Leon blinked. "I think you're extraordinary. And I'm not looking for 'sleek and sophisticated'. As for that last part... that's not your call."

He gazed at her openly and with significance.

Sara's stomach fluttered, but she remained perfectly composed, smiling glowingly. "Okay, then. I guess it's a date," she said.

Leon nodded with a small, pleased smile. He restarted the car, and with that, they headed for the airport.

◇◇◇

Eleven months rushed by in a whirl of events, transforming Sara's life from ordinary city girl cashier to a DSO trainee.

Sara had unregretfully bidden New York a fond farewell in order to attend the academy. She had left a loved but empty city where no one would miss her and few would even remember her. But even had it been otherwise, there was no time for nursing woes. Sara's days were dedicated to passing her preliminary assessment and basic training. Once officially accepted into the academy, the real work began.

Fully devoted to her studies, Sara demonstrated impressive aptitude for all her courses. She quickly rose to the top of her classes in marksmanship and academics. As her skills grew, so too did her confidence. Soon the withdrawn, uncertain girl had blossomed into a bright, sanguine, self-assured young woman.

Through all the changes that transpired in Sara's life, Leon remained constant. Although his job and her training often separated them for extended periods of time, Leon kept in touch by phone, text or email offering kind encouragement and firm support.

When their schedules permitted them to meet, they enjoyed a slow-burning romance. It was a relationship unlike any Sara had ever experienced, though she'd had precious few of those. As such, she was very sure to keep Leon at a distance, afraid to fall into an abyss of profound passion only to end up brokenhearted. Sara played for keeps; the stakes were too high for anything less.

Sara never forgot the unnamed agent Leon had referred to when they had first met; the woman who had won his affections long ago. At times, when they were together, Leon would go silent, his mind wandering. Sara wondered then if it was the ghosts of his past haunting him, or thoughts of the woman he'd loved.

Thus Sara was careful to retain her boundaries. But maintaining her resolve was no easy feat. It would have been much simpler had she not been so deeply attracted to Leon, and if he hadn't been so damnably easy to love.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the incident, Leon must decide where his heart now lies and how to move on with his life.

Leon sat at his kitchen table, his handguns and gun maintenance kit on one side, a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey with a half-empty glass beside it on the other. The afternoon sun poured into the room, streaming through the amber liquid and streaking the gray tabletop with a golden glow. 

Evanescence's Bring Me to Life played on the stereo behind Leon, but he scarcely heard the music. He had all but forgotten his surroundings as he stared at one single item positioned squarely before him.

It was a round white makeup compact etched with scrollwork designs around its circumference, a butterfly trailing through its center. That simple-looking little object held a flood of memories and a labyrinth of emotions Leon now endeavored earnestly to untangle.

The makeup compact had belonged to Ada Wong, that mysterious woman who had captured Leon's affections so long ago.This memento was a remnant of the last case during which he had encountered Ada. Inside it had been an SD card holding vital information on the case he had been working on in Tatchi, China. He had found it on the seat of the helicopter Ada had left for him to escape the city after the viral outbreak. They had been parting gifts left behind before she once again vanished into the shadows. He never quite understood why she sometimes helped him though she wasn't his ally.

Ada was indeed unpredictable and devious. She had a penchant for manipulation, and had used Leon more than once as a pawn to get what she wanted before disappearing. Despite all that, however, he had fallen for her, much to his chagrin.

As Leon sat staring at the compact, he asked himself why. Why had he wasted so many years on this deceitful woman who had merely used him? The memory of Ada had become a barrier around his heart, preventing him from having a true, healthy relationship. Seductive, darkly beguiling and intelligent, she had haunted him from the start, filling his senses.

Now Sara Rios was in his life, and she differed diametrically from Ada as day did from night. Leon felt much more than just sensual fever for Sara, for she touched his heart and nurtured his spirit. But she also inadvertently enthralled him. Indeed, a simple glance or a heartfelt smile was sufficient to try his restraint.

Now, after eleven months of dating, the million dollar question lay before him in the shape of that damned compact: Was Leon ready to move on and give his heart wholly to Sara?

Leon took a swig of whiskey, toying with the compact and racking his brain for a clear answer. The strains of the song suddenly broke through his feverish meditation:

"Frozen inside, without your touch, without your love, darling  
Only you are the life among the dead"

On hearing those lyrics, something snapped inside of him. The scales fell from his eyes. Sara had not only tapped into his passion, she had stirred his deepest emotions. Not even Ada, for all her seductiveness and sophistication, had been capable of that. Before Sara, his life had been solitary and empty, the job being his sole motivation. She had now become the light in his darkness. The choice couldn't have been clearer.

As his musings concluded, his smartphone rang. Quickly lowering the music's volume, Leon checked the caller ID. Sherry Birkin. The name made him smile. Leon had practically adopted Sherry as a little sister since the night he had helped save her from Raccoon City, when her parents' research with the Umbrella Corporation had led to her own infection. Now she was all grown up, and a respected agent within the DSO.

"Hey. How's my kid sister?" he asked.

"Leon! Hey! I'm great. I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I just wanted to make sure you were still clear for Saturday night?"

"Saturday-- Oh, damn." Leon pressed his palm to his forehead. "Aah, you're gonna hate me."

"You forgot! Leon! You know we only do these reunions once a year, and only if we're not on missions. This time, we were all free. It means so much to me to see you and the others. And I was really looking forward to meeting Sara," Sherry said disappointedly.

"Easy, Sherry!" Leon said, chuckling. "I didn't say I couldn't go. I just forgot. I'd like to see everybody else, too. It's been too long since we've just relaxed together. I've just been preoccupied lately, that's all."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I'm good," he answered. 

Sherry exhaled with relief. "For a minute there, I was worried. You'll bring Sara, right?"

"I'll call her as soon as I hang up. I'm sure she'll wanna meet everybody," Leon replied.

"Awesome!" Sherry said. She went silent for a moment. "Leon," she said at length. "I hope you don't think I'm prying, but... are things serious with Sara? I mean, is it love?"

The question caught Leon off guard. He hesitated, picking up the compact and studying it briefly. He frowned at it then chucked it into the wastebasket. He felt as if a burden had suddenly been lifted from his heart. "Yeah," he said finally, the realization making him somewhat giddy. "It is."

Sherry sighed. "Good. I've been worried about you. I know you think I shouldn't be, but I can't help it. You spend too much time alone, and... it's not good to be alone with your ghosts, you know?"

"I know what you mean," Leon answered softly.

"Well, I'll let you go now so you can let Sara know about the reunion. And do yourself a favor: if you really love her, tell her. Take care of yourself."

"You, too. Thanks, Sherry." 

Following Sherry's call, Leon quickly dialed Sara's number. The sound of her voice warmed his heart.

"Hey, Sara. Are you doing anything Saturday night?"

☆☆☆

Sara emerged from her building, smiling cheerfully as she approached Leon. He smiled back, his breath catching slightly at the sight of her. She was dressed very simply in jeans and a crimson sweetheart neckline blouse that became her solid, somewhat boyish figure. A cranberry cardigan completed the outfit. To Leon, she'd never looked prettier.

Sara greeted him with a warm kiss and a hug. Leon breathed in the heady notes of white musk and vanilla from her perfume. 

"Mm. You smell nice!" Sara exclaimed, her dark eyes shining.

"I was just thinking the same thing. You look incredible."

Sara smiled shyly. "It's just casualwear, Leon," she replied. 

"Well, maybe it's not the clothes as much as the girl who's wearing them."

Chuckling at Sara's abashed blush, Leon drew a small green box from his jacket pocket and presented it to her. "I saw something the other day that reminded me of you. I thought you might like it."

Sara opened the box, her eyes glittering. She lifted a pretty silver necklace with a pendant in the shape of an intertwined dragon and phoenix. "Leon, it's beautiful! I love it."

"Let me put it on for you." Leon secured the necklace around her neck then withdrew. "It looks good."

"Thank you so much!" Sara said.

She dropped a happy kiss on his lips and started to turn away, but Leon wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. He kissed her fervently.

"Wow!" gasped Sara. "I'm not complaining, but what was that for?"

"For setting me free," Leon replied solemnly. "For saving me."

Sara looked up at him bemusedly. "Are you okay? You seem more intense than usual today. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. But there's something I want to tell you. Maybe this isn't the time, but I need to say it."

"Okay." Sara began to withdraw from his embrace, but he held her fast. Her brow furrowed in puzzlement, but she placed her hands on his chest and stood still. "I'm listening," she said gently.

Leon was silent for a moment, gathering the words. At last he fixed Sara with a decided gaze. "I know I've been kinda distant this past month. I've been doing a lot of serious thinking." He paused reflectively. "Do you remember the agent I told you about back on Halcyon Isle--the woman I might have had a relationship with?"

Sara's eyes flashed briefly. "Yes," she replied simply.

"Her name is Ada Wong. I met her for the first time in Raccoon City. She saved my life. I don't really know why exactly, and I probably never will. Anyway, we spent little time together during that nightmare, but in that time, I developed feelings for her even though I found out she was a double agent. I didn't know who she worked for; she was there to steal a sample of the virus. She disappeared in the aftermath, but she's woven in and out of my life after that; always turning up during an impending bioterrorism disaster."

Leon paused, shaking his head. He trained his eyes on her somberly. "For years I let Ada's memory sabotage every relationship I attempted. I wasted time fantasizing about what it would be like if she were different; if only she weren't on the wrong side. I knew better, but somehow I couldn't help myself."

Sara's dropped her hands, letting them fall tensely at her sides. Her gaze became flinty, and he felt her grow rigid. Despite her obvious irritation, Leon continued, intent on opening up to her completely.

"Then I met you, and I realized that I didn't need a fantasy; I'd found the real thing. I also realized that I never really loved Ada; I didn't even know her. It was just infatuation. Now I know what I really want; I want you. My entire life has been like a graveyard--full of death and haunted by ghosts of the past. But you've become my lantern, scattering all the darkness and nightmares. For the first time, I don't feel alone, and I love you for that."

At last the words were out. Leon inhaled deeply, looking at Sara searchingly. The hardness fell away from her and she smiled radiantly. She cocked her head, her expression becoming mischievous. "Hm. I'd better wipe that lipstick off you; it really doesn't suit you."

Leon was bewildered by her cool jest. He started to speak, but Sara silenced him with a sweet, lingering kiss. She approached her mouth to his ear and whispered. "I love you. You know that, don't you?"

Leon craned his neck to look at her, exhilarated by the declaration. "I wasn't taking that as a given."

Sara regarded him somberly. "Honestly, you made me love you. You saved me, changed me. You helped me believe in myself and realize my worth. You're so kind and caring. I've never met anyone like you; equal parts steel and silk--fierce yet gentle." 

She thrust her hands in her back pockets, her mood changing. "But I suspected you weren't over this Ada. Sometimes you seemed distant, your mind elsewhere; definitely not with me. I've been waiting for you to work things out, but honestly, I wasn't sure I could wait much longer."

Leon's jaw tightened with the impact of those words. The thought of Sara's absence from his life suddenly seemed as inconceivable as a world without color. He laid his forefinger against her cheek, tracing its curve tenderly. "So I'm not too late?" he asked, his tone hopeful. 

Sara smiled up at him softly. "You just made it in under the wire," she answered. Her eyes widened. "But if we don't get moving we'll be too late! Your friends are gonna be ticked off. Let me just take care of this first." She vigorously wiped his lips clean of her iridescent lipstick. "There. Hey, mind if I drive? I could use the practice."

Chuckling lightly, Leon tossed the keys to Sara who caught them easily. "Sure. Knock yourself out," he replied. 

Beaming, Sara made her way around to the driver's side and took her place behind the wheel.

Shaking his head with a wry smile, Leon opened the passenger door. "Women," he muttered.

♤♤♤

The sight of his Raccoon City friends gathered in the restaurant brought Leon a tidal wave of memories. Today, however, they didn't overwhelm him. With Sara beside him, the burden of his dark past seemed lighter.

The group sat at two adjoined tables at the center of the dining area. Chris caught sight of them and waved them over. The group rose in unison to greet Leon and Sara.

Bright young Sherry Birkin eagerly clasped each of them in a tight, welcoming hug. Chris Redfield and his longtime BSAA partner and now fiancee, Jill Valentine, shook their hands. Claire, Chris' younger sister, embraced them warmly. For the first time, Leon actually felt like they were a family; united as they wrestled their demons and fought for the same cause.

They ate, drank and talked, sharing stories and personal life developments. Late into the night, the women rose together in a group and headed for the ladies' room, chatting and laughing. Leon and Chris remained seated at the table.

"So," Chris said, when the ladies were out of earshot. "Is it serious with you and Sara?"

Leon took a sip of his beer before nodding. "Yeah, it is," he replied.

"All right! Good for you!" Chris declared. "So what about the Bitch in Red, Ada Wong?"

Leon raised his brows at his friend in some surprise.

"Ah, don't look at me like that," Chris growled. "When it came to that bitch, you had a lousy poker face. You wouldn't have tried to defend her back in Tatchi if you hadn't been sweet on her."

"The fact is, I knew she wasn't responsible for what happened to your unit. Whatever else she may be, Ada isn't a murderer, and definitely not a bioterrorist," Leon said.

"Nah. She just supplies them," Chris rejoined.

Leon scoffed. "Fair point."

"So you're finally over her, then?" Chris pressed.

Leon sat back in his chair, toying with his beer bottle. "Chasing butterflies is a waste of time. Took me long enough to figure that out," he said. "And it's a hell of a lot more fun flying with a phoenix."

Chris nodded. "A phoenix! Interesting."

"I wasted too many years on Ada. I really thought I loved her. But I was just in love with what I thought she could be. Sara's the real thing. It took meeting her to wake me up."

"So, do I hear wedding bells?" asked Jill, who had returned to the table unnoticed.

Leon looked up at her and chuckled lightly. "We're taking things slow," he said. "But it could happen."

"Yeah, well, don't take too long," Jill said, nudging Chris hard. "I practically had to hit this one with a sledgehammer to get him to realize I wanted him."

Chris threw Jill a small, sly smile. "Well, better late than never, right?"

Jill chuckled dryly. "Uh-huh. Sure." She turned back to Leon. "I like Sara; she's good people. I think she'll do you a lot of good. Whatever you do, Leon, don't let her get away."

Leon looked at her solemnly. "Trust me, I don't intend to."

At that moment the other ladies returned to the table, Claire and Sherry debating on who was to be the night's designated driver. They took their seats, and the conversation once again grew animated. 

At length Claire stood up, tapping her glass with a spoon. "Hey, can I get everybody's attention, please? I want to propose a toast to the newest member of our little family, Miss Sara Rios!" she announced.

The others fell silent, watching Claire intently. Leon glanced at Sara who was looking bashfully sweet and fairly glowing with happiness. His heart swelled. 

"Sara, you defied death and you rose from the blood and ashes. You're a true warrior. I wish you the best of luck as you join us in the fight for the future, honoring and remembering the fallen. Welcome aboard!" Claire said.

The others clinked bottles and glasses, responding in assent.

"Yeah, welcome to the Zombie Squad," Sherry chimed in.

Everyone chuckled at that then returned to their easy conversation.

Leon looked at all of his friends in turn, his heart full. At last he caught Sara's joyful gaze across the table. She flashed him a sunny smile. He returned it with a small smile of his own, ardently wishing he could stop time and preserve that happy moment forever.


	24. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon and Sara are now official partners at the DSO, and a new case is brewing... one that will take the battle against bioterrorism to a whole new level.

Leon drove into the thick morning traffic, Sara seated beside him, fiddling with her dragon-phoenix pendant in absentminded anxiety. Leon glanced over at her.

“Hey,” he said. “You okay?”

Sara turned to him, clutching her pendant nervously, her eyes a little wide. “Huh?”

“Are you okay?” Leon reiterated.

Sara chuckled uneasily. “Yeah. I’m just nervous as all hell, that’s all. I can't believe I'm actually on my first case! I hope I don’t screw up,” she said.

Leon smiled at her reassuringly. “Just relax,” he said. “We’re not headed out on a field mission. We’re just gonna go ask Mr. Matsuo a few questions, gather some information, then we’re back out.”

Sara exhaled sharply. “I know. I just don’t want to do anything stupid.” She scoffed. “Oh, God. I worked so hard for this, and now I’m scared out of my wits.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Fear comes with the territory. It’s only natural to be scared on your first day out.”

Sara turned a pensive gaze on him. “Leon, why did you choose me to be your partner?”

Leon turned to her, his brow slightly furrowed. “What do you mean ‘why’?”

“You are an elite agent with a kickass reputation for bringing down all kinds of freaky mutants. You should be working with the best, not a rookie,” Sara told him.

“Everybody's a rookie at some point. Fortunately, most people don't get the kind of initiation I had. Hadn't even gotten a chance to clip my badge on before all hell broke loose. Anyway, as far as I’m concerned, I am working with the best,” Leon said firmly.

“On Halcyon Isle, you saved me more than once even though you’d never held a gun and had no combat experience. You were even willing to sacrifice yourself to protect the city. After that, I know I can trust you to watch my back, and I know you’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done. I really can’t think of a better partner.”

Sara glanced at him, her dark eyes glittering. She smiled. “How do you always know just the right thing to say?” she asked.

Leon shrugged. “I’m just saying the truth. You're a strong and determined woman. That's why I love you. Well, part of the reason, anyway."

Sara groaned. "Oh, now it's really gonna be hard to focus," she said, laughing.

The sound of her laughter warmed Leon's heart. He smiled at her encouragingly. "Trust me, you’re gonna be fine.”

Ten minutes later, Leon pulled up to the gates of a sprawling mansion with a tall wrought iron gate bearing the letters EM.

Sara whistled. "Wow. Cozy little cottage," she quipped.

"Yeah; the humble abode of Eito Matsuo, founder and chairman of Seishin Cosmetics," Leon said, unimpressed. "But all this luxury couldn't prevent his daughter's kidnapping, and it won't stop the terrorist threats he's been getting."

"That's true," Sara agreed.

Leon thought of all the high profile people who had suffered and even died because of bioterrorism. Their rank and money had only made them easier targets.

An intercom beside the gate beeped. "State your name and business," a man's voice demanded.

"Agent Kennedy and Agent Rios with the Division of Security Operations. Mr. Matsuo is expecting us," Leon replied.

"Acknowledged."

A moment later the gates opened, admitting them into a large courtyard complete with a fountain in the image of a kimono-clad woman pouring water from a vase.

Leon and Sara dismounted the car and headed up to the ornate double doors. Leon rang the doorbell, and they stood listening to the silvery tones of the Westminster chime.

"Wow. Guess the ordinary 'ding dong' didn't cut it for Matsuo," Sara quipped.

A wry smile tugged at the corners of Leon's mouth, vanishing when a young maid opened the door. She led them inside and asked them to wait in the anteroom while she announced their arrival.

The pair stood taking in their surroundings as they waited. It was an ostentatious display of wealth for certain. The floor was made of glittering coral marble. A double staircase with brass banisters and coral-hued carpeting curved elegantly to the second story. A crystal chandelier was pendent from the high ceiling, boasting a kaleidoscope of colors along the upper walls.

Sara scoffed derisively. "How many starving kids do you think they could feed with all this crap?" she muttered.

Leon grunted softly in agreement.

At that moment, the maid returned to escort them to the study of Eito Matsuo. She led them in then departed, shutting the rich, walnut doors behind her.

Seated at a large cherry wood desk was a stout Japanese man with salt and pepper hair. There was something about his bearing that Leon disliked; an arrogant frigidity masked by professional affability which he exercised now.

"Good morning, agents," he said with a faint Japanese accent. "Welcome to my home." He rose to greet them, offering his hand to each.

"Good to meet you, Mr. Matsuo," Leon replied. "I'm Agent Kennedy, this is Agent Rios."

Matsuo nodded.

"Interesting collection of kijo masks you have there," Sara remarked, indicating a wall covered with eerie white masks bearing contorted expressions of rage or woe.

"Oh, are you familiar with Japanese folklore?" asked Matsuo.

"A little. They're the accursed 'Demon women', bearing grudges and agony," Sara answered.

"Very good, Agent Rios."

Leon hid a smile. That was just the kind of thing Sara would know. But there was no time now for myths and legends. "Mr. Matsuo," he began, "getting down to business, our files indicate that your daughter, Hana, has been missing for two days. I understand you've also received threatening correspondence?"

Matsuo, who had been regarding Sara with interest, turned an icy gaze on Leon, as if irritated at the interruption. The expression quickly passed, and he resumed his seat.

"Hana was scheduled for a private flight to Japan to oversee the development of our new skincare line. She was to have arrived the day before yesterday, but she never did.  
"I received a call from her cell phone, but it wasn't she who spoke. A disguised voice told me that I was never going to see Hana again, and that my day of reckoning had finally come. Two minutes after the caller hung up, I received this envelope."

Matsuo produced a manila envelope from his desk drawer and passed it to Leon.

Leon opened it to find a photograph of a nude woman with open lesions on her body. Her face was grotesquely disfigured with unlidded eyes and a mouth open in a bloody, slit-mouthed grin. She was chained to a stone wall, snarling at the camera.

Leon frowned deeply as he passed the photo to Sara who stared at it, unblinking for several seconds before looking up at Matsuo.

"Just like the folklore demon the kuchisake," she murmured. "The vengeful victim of mutilation."

Leon noticed some writing on the back of it. "Turn it over," he said. "There's something written on it."

Sara flipped the photo, revealing Japanese text. She handed it back to Leon.

"What does this say?" he asked, holding it up.

Matsuo turned a hard countenance on the agents. "The first line says: 'The time of unmasking is at hand' and the next line reads 'Isn't she beautiful?'"

"Do you have any idea what it means?" asked Sara. 

"Should I? What would I know about this atrocity?" Matsuo asked sharply. 

Leon looked at him with gathering suspicion. "Well, do you have any enemies who may be trying to sabotage you?"

Matsuo laughed sardonically. "I could get you a list a mile long. Seishin Cosmetics is the leading international producer of luxury cosmetics and skincare. The competition is fierce."

"You might wanna start compiling that list, then," Leon said. "That and anything that might be considered material for blackmail."

Matsuo frowned. "You're suggesting a full-scale investigation into my corporate affairs. Do you realize what that could mean for this company if the press gets word of that? It could lead to an all-out witch-hunt. Seishin is on the verge of unveiling a new product line; a thing like that could ruin me!"

Leon and Sara exchanged discreet glances. Was Matsuo worried about his daughter or his corporation?

"I… understand and respect your concern, but if you hope to get your daughter back, we need your full cooperation," Sara reasoned.

Matsuo sat back, looking at them alternately, his expression impassive.

Leon leaned over slightly, pressing his index finger to the hideous photo. He gazed at Matsuo intently. "Mr. Matsuo, you're obviously being blackmailed by a bioterrorist. This woman was victimized--mutated into a monster--just to send you a message. That could easily have been your daughter. I'd say your company is the least of your problems.  
"In the interest of preventing more deaths and recovering your daughter, the DSO will have to comb through every aspect of your corporation and personal dealings. The point is not negotiable… sir."

A tense silence followed during which Leon and Matsuo locked steely gazes. A knock at the door interrupted the awkward moment.

"Enter," Matsuo said, eyes still on Leon.

The maid entered, bearing a small green box with an iridescent sakura across the side of it. "Sir, this package just arrived for you from Tokyo."

Matsuo waved her in whereat she quickly placed the box on the table then exited.

Matsuo took up the box and, having inspected it cursorily, he began opening it.

"Sir," Sara said quickly. "Given the situation, I don't think you should open that."

"I have been expecting this," Matsuo said tersely. "It is a sample of the new fragrance we have been developing complete with prototype packaging."

"Sir--" Leon began, tamping down his irritation.

"One moment, please."

In disbelief, Leon turned to Sara who shook her head disgustedly.

Matsuo proceeded to open the box. After removing a layer of bubble wrap, he drew a small, white glass vial covered in pink floral vines. He pulled the cap, analyzing the bottle. Murmuring to himself in Japanese, Matsuo spritzed some of the perfume onto the back of his hand. He sniffed it and smiled approvingly. "Hai. Excellent delivery and fragrance."

Leon's patience was wearing thin. "Mr. Matsuo, we are pressed for time."

Matsuo nodded. "I will give you all that you require," he said testily. "But understand that I cannot neglect my work. This company is my livelihood; my life's work and all that I am. Naturally, I want Hana back; she is my daughter, my legacy and the future of Seishin."

Leon nodded, looking at him severely. "We'll be in touch," he said.

"I will be waiting. Good day, agents."

Inclining his head solemnly, Leon motioned to Sara to follow him, his mind working. He was certain Matsuo was hiding something.

"Mr. Matsuo seems more concerned about the company than his daughter," Sara remarked when they had left the study.

"Yeah. And he got a little antsy at the mention of investigating Seishin. I'm sure he's covering up some shady business, and I'd like to find out what it is," Leon asserted.

Matsuo's high-pitched scream issuing from the study stopped them cold. Leon and Sara shot each other troubled glances before racing back.

Gun drawn, Leon kicked the doors in directly and burst in, Sara shadowing him.

Matsuo was gripping his hand and screaming in panic. He looked up at the agents, his face warped with terrified agony. "Help me!"

"Oh, shit…" Leon muttered.

Matsuo's hand had grown double in size and was now a pulsating mass of bloody flesh and exposed tendons.

"Oh, my God…" Sara murmured, coming up beside Leon. She drew her firearm quickly.

Several servants came rushing in behind the agents in alarm.

"Stay back!" Sara exclaimed to them harshly.

In a matter of seconds, Matsuo's entire arm had become a grotesquely disfigured bulk of mutilated flesh. His anguished cries became savage and distorted as the infection continued to spread across his chest.

"The perfume," Leon realized. "It must've been laced with a transdermal virus."

Matsuo turned to face the agents and the cowering group of domestics, his eyes blood-red and menacing. A throbbing black vein bulged over the left side of his neck and face. His mouth opened in a feral roar.

Undaunted and unfazed, Leon listed his head as he carefully aimed his gun at Matsuo's head, a grim frown furrowing his brow. "Welcome back to the trenches," he said somberly.

As Matsuo leaped over his desk to pounce on them, Leon pulled the trigger.

The thunderous crack of the gunshot resounded throughout the halls of the grand mansion.


End file.
